Conducting work at height is extremely common across multiple industries. With recent advances in technology and safety equipment, working at heights has become much safer and more efficient than it used to be. Nevertheless, we still face challenges in preventing fall-related injuries and deaths, particularly in the construction sector.
As a business owner, you have a moral and legal duty to train your workers in height safely. Negligence or non-compliance can not only endanger their lives, but also lead to serious legal and financial repercussions for your company.
What is Working at Height?
Work at height is any work conducted at a level where they could potentially fall and injure themselves. It involves situations where fall protection measures must be in place to suitably protect the safety of the workers.
Work at height includes a variety of situations, such as:
- Work on a roof – where you could potentially fall off or fall through
- Work on access equipment – such as scaffolds and ladders
- Work short distances off ground – work two meters off of the ground, such as on a short stepladders is work at height
- Work where you may fall below ground – For instance, working on the surface but near a trench
Work at height does not include slips and trips on the same level. Falling from a height means dropping down at least one level, approximately 4.3 meters.
How Often Do Accidents Happen?
Working at heights is one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths and injuries in the UK. Falls from height accounted for 25% of all fatal injuries to workers, an average of 34 fatal injuries every year, according to data from RIDDOR in the year 2019-20.
In addition, these injuries did not occur only in high-risk situations. Many of these fatal injuries involved fall accidents from a distance of just two meters or less.
Therefore, it is essential for your employees to practice height safety at all costs regardless of the risk level of the situation.
What Does the Law Require?
The Work at Heights Regulations 2005 was introduced as a legal mechanism to prevent workplace injuries and deaths caused by falling from height. The regulation holds employers liable for worker safety and protection for their workers and the general public.
Employers in control of work activities at heights are required to ensure all such tasks are adequately planned, supervised, and conducted by competent persons. This includes providing awareness and training on height safety, making risk assessments, using the correct type of equipment, and performing routine inspections of the equipment.
Working at heights forms a central part of mandatory health and safety training for workers in the construction industry. This sector has accounted for the highest number of non-fatal injuries in the UK – 18% in 2019-20.
As part of your legal duties, you must:
- Ensure all work at height is monitored, planned, and reported
- Provide workers with necessary work at height safety training
- Assess risks before conducting work at height and arrange necessary safety equipment
- Properly manage risks when conducting work on or around fragile surfaces
- Routinely inspect and maintain work at height equipment such as ladders
How to Maintain Compliance with Work at Height Law?
According to the law, it is the employer’s legal responsibility to ensure work at height regulations are thoroughly met, and workers have the necessary training and equipment to perform their tasks safely. Items such as personal protective equipment (PPE) must be provided when any work at height is conducted.
Equipment, such as ladders, requires routine inspections by competent persons to ensure they are safe for use. Clause 12 of The Work at Height Regulations deals explicitly with the inspection of fall protection equipment. Similarly, under the PUWER 1998, handrails and guard rails must be inspected at least once every month.
The regulations also advise that you give special consideration to areas where there is a high risk of falling from height. This includes fragile surfaces, unstable platforms, and supporting structures such as rails. The employer must train the workers to take precautions in restricting the distance to the ground from such surfaces to minimize the impact of a fall.
As a duty holder, the employers must also arrange alert signs next to work at height sites, so workers and the general public are informed of any hazards. These practices can be learned and applied through proper training from an authorized health and safety institute. Employers can access working at heights training online and in classrooms set-ups, depending on their specific needs and requirements.
Lawsuits Do Happen
An incident that took place in 2012 serves as a warning to employers who fail todo their duties when it comes to protecting employees from this hazard. The incident happened when one of the organization’s workers was ordered to perform repairs on a fragile roof with no training, supervision or PPE. As a result, the roof collapsed and the employee lost his life.
It was found that the organization’s directors were unsuccessful in maintaining employee safety when work was being conducted at height. Consequently, the directors were charged with corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and a significant fine was levied.
This incident reinforced the need for employers to integrate height safety training and provide necessary PPEs to workers.
Why is Training Essential?
Whether work at heights is done routinely or occasionally, safety must remain a top priority when it comes to work at height. Unfortunate incidents can escalate into major catastrophes where reputations are affected. When the word goes out, businesses and the public may refuse to work with you or hire your services.
Therefore, it becomes crucial to educate your employees through a certified health and safety institute. Health and safety providers such as Human Focus offer working at heights training online that can be obtained remotely through the desktop or mobile application.
Integrating safety training into your workforce can mitigate the risk of falling and provide legal protection in case of an incident.