Work at height authorities & standards

CoP 23.0 is the primary work-at-height code for Abu Dhabi emirate, applied through the sector regulatory authority (usually DMT for construction). Entities must show a documented hierarchy of control, competent persons, inspection regimes and a rescue capability.

• ADOSH-SF CoP 23.0 — Safety in Working at Height
• ADOSH-SF CoP 26.0 — Scaffolding
• ADOSH-SF CoP 37.0 — Ladders
• ADOSH-SF OSH System Framework — Elements 1–9

Dubai Municipality enforces the Code of Construction Safety Practice on all sites within the municipality boundary, requiring scaffold inspection regimes, edge protection, permits for high-risk height work and competent supervision. Non-compliance carries administrative fines and stop-work notices.

• Dubai Municipality Code of Construction Safety Practice (PDF)
• Dubai Building Code 2021

Applies in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Maritime City, Jebel Ali and other PCFC jurisdictions. Trakhees typically requires third-party certified scaffold inspectors, registered scaffolding contractors and documented rescue arrangements before permit issue.

• Trakhees EHS Technical Guidelines — Work at Height
• Trakhees Construction EHS Requirements

Covers Dubai Internet City, Media City, Dubai Design District and similar master developments. Requirements mirror the DM Code with additional developer-specific permit and inspection controls.

• DDA Construction & HSE Regulations

Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority (SPSA) publishes OSHJ-CoP-04, which mirrors the ADOSH-SF hierarchy-of-control approach and applies to government and private entities in the Emirate. Expect risk assessment, equipment selection, ladder controls, fall protection systems and emergency response documentation.

• OSHJ-CoP-04 Working at Height Safety (v2.0, July 2024)
• OSHJ Technical Guidelines — Working at Height

Ajman construction permits are issued through the Municipality & Planning Department. Site HSE conditions are attached to the building permit and enforced through municipal inspections. Major contractors also reference ADOSH-SF CoP 23.0 and the DM Code as best-practice benchmarks.

• Ajman Municipality & Planning Department Service Catalogue
• Buildings Permits, Certificates & Reports (construction safety conditions)

Within the RAK Economic Zone the RAKEZ HS&E Construction Regulations apply (including section 10 on Work at Height). Outside the free zone, RAK Municipality construction and building-regulation conditions apply, supported by the 2023 Building Regulations and Construction Specifications.

• Building Regulations and Construction Specifications (Version 4, 2023)
• RAKEZ HS&E Construction Regulations (First Edition, 2023)
• RAK Municipality services

Fujairah Municipality enforces building-permit conditions and construction safety through site inspections. In the absence of an emirate-specific WAH code, the federal MOHRE OSH duties and the ADOSH-SF / DM codes are commonly adopted as the project reference standard.

• Fujairah Municipality building and construction permits

Umm Al Quwain Municipality conducts construction-site safety campaigns and issues building permits. Work at height is regulated through the municipal permit conditions and federal MOHRE obligations, with ADOSH-SF CoP 23.0 and the DM Code used as practical guidance on most sites.

• Umm Al Quwain Municipality services

Federal labour law obligations apply everywhere: safe systems of work, PPE at no cost to the worker, training in a language the worker understands, incident reporting, and the summer midday work ban that directly constrains roof and façade work.

• Ministerial Resolution 32 of 2022 — Occupational Health & Safety
• Midday work ban decision (annual)

On oil, gas and petrochemical sites the operator's own work-at-height specification usually exceeds the emirate code — commonly mandating 100% tie-off, scaffold tagging by an operator-approved inspector and dedicated standby rescue teams.

• ADNOC HSE Codes of Practice — Working at Height