WORKING AT HEIGHT
GETTING AHEAD WITH HEIGHTS
Gareth Mc Cague is HSE Manager for lifting equipment manufacturer and service provider Konecranes Demag UK Limited. In an exclusive interview with Tomorrow’s Health & Safety, Gareth shared his wealth of knowledge on workplace safety and working at height issues.
Q: WHAT ARE THE LATEST STATISTICS ON WORKPLACE AND WORKING AT HEIGHT ACCIDENTS AND HOW TO THESE COMPARE WITH PREVIOUS YEARS?
Gareth Mc Cague (GMC): Health & Safety Executive (HSE) figures show that there were 604,000 non- fatal workplace injuries in the UK for the reporting period 2023/24, of which 61,663 were serious casualties recorded under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Reporting Regulations (RIDDOR). Falls from height accounted for around 8% of these non-fatal injuries. During the same period HSE stated that there were 138 workplace fatalities (2022/23:135) with 50 (2022/23:40) attributable to working at height (WAH), demonstrating that falls from height remain the most serious and common workplace risk.
The introduction of Working at Height Regulations in 2005 marked a reduction in workplace accidents. Statistics have remained fairly consistent in recent years with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when the level of operational activity was reduced due to Covid lockdowns. Notwithstanding the improvement in WAH incidents, the frequency and potential serious outcomes of such accidents mean that we must all maintain a focus on the possibility of industrial falls and mitigate the consequences to reduce casualties.
Q: HOW DO THESE FIGURES COMPARE WITH THOSE FOR OTHER INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES?
GMC: The UK continues to have one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries across Europe, with a standardised rate of 0.61 per 100,000 workers in 2018. This compares
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favourably with France (1.49) and Italy (1.04) but bettered by Germany (0.55). The EU 27 nation average is 1.27 with countries like Poland and Spain showing significantly higher rates.
The UK’s robust regulatory framework and high compliance levels contribute to this performance. These figures underscore the UK's leadership in workplace safety standards but highlight opportunities to learn from other high-performing nations like Germany.
Q: WHAT LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR WAH?
GMC: The Working at Height Regulations 2005 set out the legal obligations. Under this legislation, employers have a duty of care to employees, contractors and third parties. Irrespective of perceived risk, those in control of any WAH must make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent operators. Training and suitable equipment should also be provided. They state that WAH should be avoided where it is reasonably practicable to do so. Where such work cannot be easily avoided, measures should be taken to prevent falls by using an existing safe place of work or by employing suitable safety equipment. They also state that the distance and consequence of a potential fall should be minimised where the risk cannot be eliminated and that a contingency for emergencies should always be in place.
There doesn’t need to be an accident to initiate prosecution, merely a breach of the regulations. Failure to comply with the regulations can result in penalties of unlimited fines and up to two-year prison sentences.
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