FEATURE
FALL FROM GRACE Falling from height is the leading cause of fatal accidents at work. Rob
Langford, Head of National Operational Delivery at Lloyds British, outlines how you can achieve compliance.
According to HSE statistics, last year in the UK 144 employees were killed at work, while a further 555,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries.
More than a quarter of fatal injuries were caused by falls from height (26%) and an average of 37 fatalities occurring per year. Furthermore, half of all these accidents in the last five years occurred in the construction sector.
While these numbers obviously demonstrate the inherent risks involved within this sector, unfortunately many of these accidents occur as a result of improper risk assessment, inadequate training and companies not being compliant with lifting and construction equipment.
These incidents can be very costly - not just in terms of lives lost - but for the company and duty holders who can face prosecution under the revised Health and Safety Offences and Corporate Manslaughter Guidelines as well.
FALLS FROM HEIGHT PROSECUTIONS The HSE has a breach list, which contains up-to-date information on health and safety prosecutions in the UK. One of the most striking things about this list is that many of these incidents are avoidable and only occur due to companies not taking the proper precautions.
One example from this list details a London-based steel company, where improper safety management led to a worker falling between two and four metres into a pit. The incident occurred despite the company having performed a risk assessment 16 months previously, which identified the need to provide a barrier around the pit. Unfortunately, the company chose not to act on these findings and a barrier was not provided, which led to the accident.
While the injury was fortunately not fatal, the company was found guilty and had to pay a fine of £450,000 with £32,099 costs.
Other falling from height accidents occurred due to companies not providing the proper equipment or training for workers to perform the task, or failing to perform the proper risk assessment on site before starting work. So, what can a company do to reduce the risks involved in working at height, and ensure they follow their legal requirements?
ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE To ensure that your company is compliant with the Work at Height Regulations 2005, it’s vital to make sure that workers have the skills, knowledge and experience to be deemed competent when working at height.
For employers, this involves carrying out appropriate risk assessments before employees begin working
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from a high position. For jobs on site, a full assessment of the terrain and equipment being used needs to take place. This should consider, amongst other factors, how to prevent falls using the right type of equipment, and whether the distance and consequences of a fall can be minimised by using safety equipment, such as safety nets or air bags.
It’s also essential to undertake regular inspections of any equipment that can lead to accidents. To achieve compliance with the Work at Height Regulations, as well as other guidelines such as the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), it’s important to ensure that all equipment is safe through regular examination and maintenance.
Any examination - both working and thorough - should be carried out by a competent person with the appropriate practical and theoretical understanding of the equipment. The inspection should take place in order to identify defects or weaknesses, and produce recommendations for the safe and continued use of the equipment.
Ensuring your business is compliant and your workers are safe is all about being vigilant and well-prepared. Regular inspections are a huge part of this and are absolutely vital to providing a safe working environment.
Falls from height accidents are often caused from misuse as well as a lack of appropriate risk assessment and equipment examination. While it’s not possible to prevent accidents from happening, by ensuring you are fully compliant with your responsibilities as a duty holder, you can ensure your workers and company are
protected as thoroughly as possible.
www.lloydsbritish.com
www.tomorrowshs.com
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