Window cleaning can involve ladders, platforms, suspended access or rope systems. Working from the ground can remove a fall exposure, but introduces other matters to assess, including overhead lines, handling poles and protecting the public. This guide separates the limited occupation-specific evidence from broader national statistics.
Window cleaning at height: a persistent risk
Falls from height caused 31 worker deaths across Great Britain in 2025/26, provisional. That is an all-industry total, not the number of window cleaners killed.
In a statement to Parliament on 17 December 2025, the minister said HSE records for the preceding five years included eight height-fall incidents where window cleaning was the main activity, five resulting in fatal injuries. This is a description of those records, not a complete estimate of every injury in the trade.
Reviewed 15 October 2026. The national fatal total is Great Britain, 2025/26 provisional. The window-cleaning figures are a dated ministerial account of HSE records, given on 17 December 2025.
Key facts & figures
- 8 window-cleaning height-fall incidents in HSE’s preceding-five-year records, as described in Parliament in December 2025.
- 5 of those eight recorded incidents resulted in fatal injuries.
- 31 worker deaths from height falls across all Great Britain industries in 2025/26, provisional.
- Ground level work should be used where it is reasonably practicable and suitable for the task.
- 6 months is the usual LOLER examination interval for equipment lifting people, unless a competent-person examination scheme sets another interval.
- Rescue planned specialist access work needs arrangements for recovering a person in difficulty.
The methods of window cleaning and their risk profiles
Choose access equipment for the location, task, duration and people involved. A method suitable for one building may be unsuitable at another.
Water-fed poles allow some windows to be cleaned from the ground. Safe reach depends on the equipment and conditions; a single height limit cannot determine suitability. Assess power lines, handling strain, hoses and falling poles.
Ladders may be suitable for low-risk, short-duration work where the risk assessment supports their use. Secure them, use a stable base and avoid overreaching.
MEWPs provide a working platform where ground access is unsuitable. Assess ground bearing capacity, traffic, overhead obstructions, entrapment and emergency lowering.
Cradles and suspended access equipment need suitable installation, inspection, maintenance and competent operation, including rescue arrangements.
Rope access requires specialist competence, suitable anchorage and systems, supervision and a planned rescue. A general online awareness certificate does not establish that competence.
| Method | Suitable use | Principal controls |
|---|---|---|
| Water-fed pole | Where safe ground-based access is possible | Assess power lines, handling and public routes |
| Ladder | Low-risk, short-duration tasks where justified | Secure base, safe position and pre-use checks |
| MEWP | Tasks requiring a protected elevated platform | Ground assessment, competent use and emergency lowering |
| Cradle / suspended access | Suitable building access systems | Installation, inspection and thorough examination |
| Rope access | Specialist tasks justified by risk assessment | Competence, anchorage, backup systems and rescue |
How the regulations apply to window cleaning
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply across sectors in Great Britain. Their scope is wider than window cleaning and their introduction should not be attributed solely to incidents in that trade.
The main duties require a planned approach:
- Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable.
- Prevent falls where height work is necessary, giving collective protection priority over personal protection.
- Where a risk remains, minimise the distance and consequences of a fall.
- Provide suitable equipment, competence, supervision and emergency arrangements.
Current legal requirements for window cleaning at height
Employers must assess risks to workers and others from window cleaning. The applicable duties depend on the activity and equipment; Northern Ireland has separate legislation.
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, employers must plan and supervise the work and use competent people and suitable equipment. Consider ground-based cleaning first where reasonably practicable.
Under LOLER, equipment that lifts people is normally thoroughly examined every six months, or in accordance with a competent person’s examination scheme. Pre-use checks, maintenance and further examinations after exceptional circumstances also matter.
Rope-access methods require specialist planning and rescue capability. Industry schemes such as IRATA can demonstrate training and procedures, but do not replace the employer’s assessment of competence for the particular job.
Make sure everyone working at height knows how to do it safely.
Train your team to work safely at height →
Mark writes about working at height, workplace safety, compliance and accredited training for Working at Heights Course, part of Online CPD Academy.
Sources & references
- UK Parliament: ministerial statement on window-cleaning safety, 17 December 2025
- HSE: working at height while window cleaning
- HSE: fatal injuries in Great Britain, 2025/26 provisional
- Work at Height Regulations 2005
- HSE: working at height, a brief guide
- HSE: thorough examination of lifting equipment
- HSE: avoiding danger from overhead power lines