Head for heights

Access Platform Sales has ranked the five most dangerous buildings in the UK to maintain, drawing attention to the safety challenges faced by those working at height.

According to the GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there has been a reduction in construction worker fatalities in England, Wales and Scotland from April 2024 to March 2025. However, construction continued to account for the largest share (28%) of fatal injuries to workers in 2024.

The most common cause of fatal injuries over the past year continues to be falls from a height (35 deaths). Half of all deaths in construction between 2020/21 and 2024/25 were due to falls from height, at an average of 21 deaths per year.

Access Platform Sales (APS) has analysed buildings with known maintenance risks and structural issues, using publicly documented incidents as well as industry insights.

Andy Bray, Managing Director of APS, says: “When you combine height, wind exposure and complex geometry, even routine maintenance becomes a high-risk operation.”

Top 5 most dangerous buildings to maintain in the UK

1. The Leadenhall Building (‘The Cheesegrater’), London
In 2014 and 2015, fractured structural bolts fell from the fifth floor, prompting safety cordons, a full structural review and a £6m replacement programme. The sloped façade forces access crews to work under overhangs using boom lifts over public areas.

2. 8 Canada Square (HSBC Tower), London
During construction in 2000, a crane collapse killed three workers. Since completion, multiple glass panels have fallen from upper floors, highlighting risks for maintenance teams working on the curtain wall façade.

3. Unity Building, Liverpool
In September 2024, a father and son died after the brakes on a cladding platform failed during routine façade works. The platform fell more than 100 feet between the 21st and 7th floors.

4. One Canada Square, London
While no major incidents have been recorded, One Canada Square is widely regarded by industry specialists as high risk due to its outdated building maintenance unit system (commonly used for window cleaning) and narrow rooftop access. Maintenance teams often rely on boom lifts in wind-prone conditions.

5. 22 Bishopsgate, London
London’s tallest office tower features recessed glass façades and overhangs that increase access complexity. In 2017, a neighbouring crane struck the Leadenhall Building, highlighting the risks associated with dense, high-rise city clusters.

As tower design becomes ever more ambitious, so too must the approach to access and maintenance. Without proper planning and the right equipment, high-rise maintenance poses serious operational risks that push the definition of ‘working at height’ to the extreme.

Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at IOSH, says: “Businesses need to ask if all workers are informed and aware of the hazards and risks exposed to them, and the controls in place to prevent harm and protect them. They also need to consider if all workers know their health and safety rights and responsibilities.”

See more about APS at accessplatforms.co.uk
HSE figures taken from Construction Management: b.link/CM_constructionfatal
The Work at Height Regulations 2005: b.link/GOV_WaHR2005

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