ExEcutivE REPORt
SAVING LIVES BY STOPPING FALLS
In the 12 months to March 2020, 29 people died in falls from height and there were 5,214 non-fatal incidents. Intent on highlighting the issues Chris Kendall introduces the work of the ‘No Falls Foundation’.
B
ritish industry is usually pretty resourceful when it comes to solving
problems, and that holds true when it comes to issues around working at height. Unfortunately, what it does not always do is properly consider how such problems can be resolved safely. As the figures show, failure can result in death or serious injury, with shattering consequences for the individual concerned, his or her family and colleagues.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) research – including accident investigations carried out by its own inspectors – shows that all accidents, including those involving working at height, result from failures in one or more of the following: planning, organisation and management.
“It’s essential to take time and plan the work from the very start,” says Ray Cooke, the health and safety advisor to the No Falls Foundation, the UK charity dedicated to preventing falls from height and helping people affected by the life-changing consequences of a fall. Supported by the Access Industry Forum (AIF), the Foundation has three principal objectives: raising awareness of the risks, researching the causes of falls and providing advice and support to those affected by a fall.
The Foundation enthusiastically supports the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Working at Height, which brings together Parliamentarians, industry leaders and trade associations to campaign on the issue of height safety. In May 2021 the APPG held its annual general meeting. The focus for the session was the new campaign launched by the HSE, ‘Discovering Safety’, which aims to deliver health and safety benefits through a data-driven global community.
Guest speaker, Sarah Newton, chair of the HSE, explained to the APPG how, using data insights, HSE hopes to improve health and safety performance and reduce workplace deaths. She explained that the
success of the initiative will depend on partnerships with academia and industry, combining scientific expertise and knowledge, to ensure the HSE remains proactive rather than reactive.
The Foundation also continues to advocate its support for a more comprehensive system of recording falls from height, to better inform policy and decision making going forward. Work is currently underway on framing and developing a research project to investigate issues around current accident reporting and how enhanced reporting can assist.
Just launched by the charity is a Support and Information Pack signposting those organisations and resources available to provide advice and assistance following a fall from height. The pack covers a wide range of topics, including what to do immediately, what financial assistance may be available, how to begin a personal injury claim, support with transport and home adaptations, using the No Falls Befriending Service and organisations that can help with issues of mental health.
Speaking of the new initiative, the charity’s Manager, Hannah Williams said: “What should have been a perfectly normal day has ended in a potentially life-shattering accident. What do you do now? Who can you turn to? What help is available?” The pack attempts to answer these questions and provides contact details for the charity. A unique resource, it fills a significant gap in the sector and is specifically written to assist anyone suffering the immediate aftermath of a traumatic fall from height.
Looking ahead, 2021 will see the Foundation begin work on a landmark project – the ‘No Falls Charter’, an initiative which embodies best practice taken from existing regulations, policies, standards, guidance and a wide range of industry bodies. Intended for adoption and implementation by industry at large, it will enable companies to make a
tangible commitment to height safety, and to make that commitment both transparent and demonstrable.
The key principles underpinning the No Falls Charter will be responsible height safety, the adoption of a standardised action plan, exchanging information and learning from each other, demonstrable accident prevention and, most importantly, making a difference.
The most obvious way to prevent falls from height is to avoid working at height in the first place. That’s the starting point of the No Falls Charter, which will recognise the contribution that all stakeholders – including architects, designers and developers – can make in preventing falls before work on a project even begins.
Currently the charity is inviting people to share their personal stories having suffered a fall from height and experienced its consequences. The aim is to develop a series of case histories in the ‘Shattered Lives’ section of the charity’s website that highlight the circumstances and repercussions of a fall from height. No one expects it to happen to them, says the charity, but these stories sadly prove it can.
With a degree of pragmatism, Ray Cooke – himself an ex-senior HSE inspector – concludes: “Working at height can be carried out safely by applying common sense. It simply needs to be properly risk assessed, planned, supervised and undertaken by competent people using the right equipment.”
The Foundation publishes a free, bi-monthly e-newsletter called ‘Saving Lives’, which contains the latest news and developments at the charity. The May edition is available now and includes an article by Ray Cooke on the subject of investigating falls from height. Sign up for the e-newsletter at
www.nofallsfoundation.org n
30 Executive Hire News - June/July 2021
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