Every commercial building has work that cannot be done from the ground. Glazing above the first floor, atrium roofs, gutters and fascias, cladding panels, signage, roof-level bird proofing. The work itself is routine. The risk is not.
Falls from height remain the most common cause of fatal injury at work in Great Britain. HSE recorded 31 such deaths in 2025/26, around a quarter of the 126 worker fatalities that year. And the duty does not sit with the contractor alone. Health and safety law places responsibilities on those who appoint contractors too, which is why documented pre-appointment checks are worth the time they take.
This guide sets out what a facilities manager, property manager or building owner should check before appointing a high level cleaning contractor — and how to tell a competent method statement from a template.
What counts as high level cleaning?
There is no legal height threshold. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, work at height is any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. That includes work below head height, and it includes the second rung of a ladder.
In commercial cleaning it typically covers:
- Window cleaning above ground floor level, including office glazing and curtain walling
- Atrium and internal high-level glazing, often over occupied floors
- Gutter and fascia clearance across roof lines
- Cladding, render and façade washing
- Soffits, canopies and signage
- Roof-level bird proofing and guano clearance
- High-bay dusting in warehouses and sports halls
The access method changes with each. That is where the accreditations come in.
IPAF, PASMA or IRATA: which does the job actually need?
These three are not interchangeable, and a contractor holding one is not thereby qualified for the others. Each covers a different family of access equipment.
IPAF — the International Powered Access Federation. Covers MEWPs: mobile elevating work platforms. Scissor lifts (category 3a), boom lifts and cherry pickers (3b), static booms (1b). Used for external façade work, high-level glazing and warehouse high-bay cleaning. Operators hold a PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), valid for five years.
PASMA — the Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association. Covers mobile access towers: alloy towers, podium steps, low-level access units. Used for atrium work, internal light fittings and soffits, typically up to around 12 metres. Cards are valid for five years.
IRATA — the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association. Covers rope access: abseiling systems, dual-rope working, certified anchor points. Used for high-rise glazing, cladding washing and structures where a MEWP cannot reach or cannot be positioned. Technicians are certified Level 1, 2 or 3, and certification is revalidated every three years. A Level 3 supervisor must be present on site for rope access work.
The practical question to ask is not "are you accredited?" but "which accreditation applies to the method you are proposing for this building?" A contractor who answers that precisely has thought about your site. One who lists all three without connecting them to the job has not.
What a proper RAMS document contains
RAMS — Risk Assessment and Method Statement — is where competence becomes visible. A generic template is the clearest warning sign available, and it is worth reading properly rather than filing.
The risk assessment should identify hazards specific to your building, not to buildings in general: fragile surfaces such as skylights and rooflights, overhead power lines, wind limits for the proposed equipment, ground bearing capacity where outriggers will sit, and drop zones beneath the work area. It should show the hierarchy of control — why the work cannot be done from the ground, why collective protection was chosen over personal fall protection, and what the residual risk is after controls.
The method statement should cover site logistics and exclusion zones, pedestrian and occupant protection, statutory equipment records (LOLER thorough examination certificates for lifting equipment, PUWER maintenance records), COSHH assessments for cleaning chemicals, and PPE.
And it must include a rescue plan. This is the item most often missing and the one that matters most. A worker suspended in a harness cannot wait for the fire service — suspension trauma develops in minutes. The RAMS should state, specifically, how a suspended or incapacitated worker would be recovered on your site: a second MEWP on standby, an abseil rescue kit, trained rescue personnel present. "Call 999" is not a rescue plan.
What insurance should a high level cleaning contractor hold?
Two policies matter, and they work differently. One is required by law. The other is not, but no competent commercial contractor operates without it.
Employers' Liability insurance is compulsory under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 for any business with employees. The statutory minimum is £5 million, though most UK insurers issue £10 million as standard. The certificate must be available on request.
Public Liability insurance is not a legal requirement, but no competent commercial contractor operates without it, and no facilities manager should accept one who does. £5 million is a common baseline; £10 million or more is often required for high-footfall sites, shopping centres, transport hubs and prime central London property.
The detail worth checking, and it is easily missed: confirm the policy does not exclude work at height, or cap it at a stated height. Some general commercial policies carry exclusions above a certain level. Ask for a broker letter confirming the cover extends to the work being quoted.
When should high level cleaning be scheduled?
Access equipment needs space and, usually, an absence of people.
For offices and commercial premises, that generally means outside core hours, weekends, or during quieter trading periods. Pedestrian exclusion zones beneath the work are non-negotiable, which is why a car park or a service yard is easier to work over than a main entrance.
For schools, colleges and other education sites, it means the holidays — principally the summer break. We covered the term-time constraints in our guide to school cleaning services.
For occupied residential blocks, notice to residents matters as much as the access plan itself, and the managing agent will usually want a communications schedule alongside the RAMS.
In all three cases, book earlier than feels necessary. Contractors with powered and rope access capability have finite capacity in the summer months, and it fills from spring onwards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IPAF, PASMA and IRATA? IPAF covers powered access equipment such as scissor lifts and cherry pickers. PASMA covers mobile access towers. IRATA covers rope access and abseiling. They are separate accreditations for different equipment, and a contractor may hold one, two or all three.
How long is an IPAF PAL card valid? Five years from the date of issue. PASMA cards are also valid for five years. IRATA certification is revalidated every three years.
What must a RAMS document include for work at height? Site-specific hazard identification, the hierarchy of control applied, equipment inspection records under LOLER and PUWER, COSHH assessments for chemicals used, exclusion zones and public protection, PPE, and a site-specific rescue plan for recovering a suspended worker.
How much insurance should a high level cleaning contractor have? Employers' Liability is compulsory with a statutory minimum of £5 million. Public Liability is not legally required but is expected commercially, commonly at £5 million, and often £10 million or more for high-footfall sites. Check the policy does not exclude or cap work at height.
Does the client have any responsibility for a contractor's safety? Health and safety law places duties on those who appoint contractors, not only on the contractors themselves. Taking and recording reasonable steps to check competence before appointment is the practical way a client meets those duties. Specific obligations vary by situation, so take your own advice where a project is complex.
High level cleaning across London, Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent
FG Cleaning has carried out commercial cleaning and exterior building work since 2003, from a base in Enfield. We hold the access capability that high level work requires, including powered access and rope access, and we provide site-specific RAMS before work begins rather than after it is booked.
Our high level services include window cleaning, gutter and fascia clearance, exterior and cladding cleaning and bird proofing, across Hertfordshire and the surrounding counties.
We will attend site, assess the access constraints properly and provide an itemised quotation stating the method, the equipment and any exclusions.
Or call 0800 612 9349.