In Britain in 2016/2017, 137 workers died as a result of injuries sustained from an accident in the workplace; 25 of those deaths resulted from falls from a height. These are statistics shared by the HSE, and are a reminder of the dangers of working at height when the right precautions are not taken. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, employers have an obligation to protect their employees from falls when working at height. The purpose of this article is to introduce employer’s obligations under the regulations and practical steps that can be taken to avoid injury and fall foul of the legislation.
According to the HSE, the following steps should be followed:
In summary, the HSE are expecting employers to take a proactive approach to planning how work will be carried out and avoiding working at height where possible. Where avoidance is not an option, the employer must minimise the risk of falls. It is therefore expected that the most suitable equipment is used.
The HSE provides a number of practical steps that employers should observe to reduce the risks associated with working at height:
When we speak to clients about working at height, we outline three important steps to ensure the practical steps of adhering to the regulations are observed.
Regardless of policy set out by the employer, safety almost always is in the hands of the employees who make the decisions about working practices in real time. A positive approach to safety that is part of the company culture will not only permeate without policy, but will also be self-sustaining.
Having a risk management framework is very important. Ensure that risks are assessed and minimised.
There are a number of things to consider when working at height. Therefore it is advantageous to have a checklist of these considerations to run through for each situation.
The risks of working at height are obvious, and are sadly highlighted by the fatality statistics shared in the introduction. There are very clear obligations on employers set out by the HSE, and there is simple guidance of how to comply. For some employers, they may need assistance with respect to the most suitable equipment to use for certain work at height scenarios. For example a self-propelled scissor lift, a push around vertical lift, or perhaps a bespoke platform. This is where we come in at HLS, as we are experts in mobile access equipment for working at height, and we can advise you on the most suitable solution.