Working at Height
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Working at Height Articles
Below is a list of articles that have been published on this topic.
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Using Ladders Well
Alarming Standards
2013-01-21 EHS News: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics for 2010-2011 show that more than half of fatal employee injuries were of three kinds: being struck by vehicles; being struck by falling objects; or falli
Ensuring Height Safety
2012-11-19 EHS News: Do you know who is using access platforms at your workplace? Have the platform operators been trained and familiarised on the equipment that they are using? Falls from height remain the biggest kille
Don’t Rain Check on Safety
Don’t Rain Check on Safety [Sep 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.
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Real Health and Real Safety
Roderick Dymott, CEO of IRATA International tells us real health and safety will genuinely happen – despite prevalent views that training excellence and safe working can only remain an ideal. This need not be the case if enough companies and trade associations set an example.
Slips Trips and Falls [Jul 2012]
Slips and falls in the workplace represent more than a trivial problem. According to research in the United States by the Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety, same-level slips and falls represent nearly 11 percent of all workers’ compensation claims and more than 13 percent of all these injuries are second only to manual material handling and holding loads, which represent 37 percent and 40 percent respectively.
Falling Numbers Not Figures
Despite a radical overhaul to regulations and numerous campaigns to raise awareness about the issue, working at height still remains the most common cause of workplace fatalities in the UK. Dozens of people are killed each year, with thousands more seriously injured across a wide variety of sectors and jobs, costing industry tens of millions of pounds in lost productivity, increased sickness pay, and expensive compensation cases.
Working at Height
Working at Height [Jan 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.
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Keeping Workers Safe at Height
In 2003/2004 there were 67 fatalities and almost 4,000 major injuries due to a fall from height.The following year, in April 2005, the Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) were implemented with the aim of reducing these figures.
Safe Work at Height - Achieved
Roderick Dymott of IRATA International discusses established methods and proven solutions to achieve safety when working at height.
Height Safety
According to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 35 people died and a further 4,654 were seriously injured in 2009 due to a fall from height. These shocking statistics seemingly increase year on year and transcend the wide spectrum of industries which require employees to work at height during some stage in their profession. What is even more alarming, however, is that almost all deaths and injuries resulting from a fall could have been prevented through the provision of adequate height safety training, and from undertaking effective risk assessment procedures.
The Dreaded LOLER Inspector
For many company owners and managers involved in employing people who work at height, the words ‘LOLER inspector’ can sometimes cause dread. Various reasons for this viewpoint will be discussed in this article, along with suggestions for ways to use the inspection in a constructive manner, as part of your company equipment management schedule.
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Fall Protection Safety
Occupational falls continue to be one of the highest recordable incidents in industry. They are the third leading cause of death, following motor vehicle accidents and struck by incidents. According to the United States based National Safety Council, in 2006 falls accounted for 847 deaths and 253,440 lost work days (National Safety Council, 2010).
Fall Protection - Individual and collective fall protection safety
The number one construction killer in any country is falling from heights, and this is principally due to the lack of proper edge protection in a variety of construction tasks. This work accounts for more than half of all deaths in the industry every year, and a significant amount of all major and more than three day lost time injuries.
Slips, Trips and Falls - Responses and caution must be heightened in the workplace
The grim statistic that confronts industry and commerce is that according to the HSE, at least one third of all reported industrial accidents are caused by slips, trips and falls in the UK workplace.
Height Safety - Laying the Foundations
In virtually every industrial sector there is the requirement at some stage for work to be carried out at height. Although we now strive to engineer out the need, with legislation in place to encourage us to do so wherever possible, the fact remains that for many years to come those responsible for safe and efficient work are going to have to manage employees at height. So where should they start?
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Restrain Yourself - Improving safety in the use of portable leaning ladders and the use of restraint systems
Having been asked if I could provide an article on height safety again this year, I have decided to focus on two areas of activity: improving safety in the use of portable leaning ladders and the use of restraint systems. The first is a high risk activity and the second often misunderstood.
Take the High Ground - Falls from height change lives
Latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal that falls from height remain one of the most common causes of fatality and major injury in the workplace. Last year 35 workers died as a result of a fall from height in the workplace and in the same period more than 4000 employees suffered major injuries. At their most extreme, falls can result in death and by their very nature, injuries to workers have the potential to be life changing, not only affecting the people themselves, but also impacting upon their families.
Fall Protection PPE
With the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in the UK (followed by the amended work at height regulations 2007), the old guidance based on the ‘2 metre rule’ has been swept away, replaced by the definition of work at height as any place a ‘person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury’.
Working at Height - Windmills... but not as you know them!
Wind Turbines are more noticeable than trees but it is increasingly likely that they will soon be appearing in vast ‘forests’ rather than occasional small ‘glades!’ There is not a government in the world that is unaware of the debate on the rights and wrongs of the wind turbine nor a multi-national in the power sector that is not already investing heavily or, at least, poised to do so.
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Industrial Protection
New International Standards for fire protective clothing
What Goes Up...
There is a well known saying that says, "what goes up, must come down" and this is generally true, however the challenge for businesses worldwide is to ensure that this is done safely. The statistics associated with accidents involving falls from height are startling as they are still the biggest cause of workplace fatal accidents, with a large percentage of all injuries associated with falls from below 2m, dispelling the myth that the "higher you go, the greater the risk."
Heightened Safety [Jan 2009]
Height and safety (yes, the title of this article is a play on words) are often enforced bedfellows when they should be inseparable. Of course, no-one should be working at height without extensive training and strict operational procedures but the ebb and flow of the annual HSE accident statistics for this sector suggests the battle for the routine delivery of responsible behaviour when operating at great height or in areas of difficult access has not yet been won.
Put Safety First
Personal and collective roof edge protection - The HSE Shattered Lives campaign urges companies to make rooftop safety a priority. With falls from height still the most common cause of workplace injury and fatality, it’s important for health and safety professionals to make the right choice in safety systems.
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Slips, Trips and Falls [July 2009]
Last year, 61 people died and more than 14,000 suffered serious injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall from height in British workplaces. These incidents also cost British society an estimated £700 million.
Safety at Height
The challenges facing the height safety industry - When entering the world of height safety some 18 years ago, I was astounded by the range and complexity of available products for ensuring the safety of people who choose to work at height.
Scaling New Heights
Preventing falls in the air transport industry - Each year, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) receives about 40 reported incidents of air transport industry staff injuring themselves after falling from height1. About 15 of these are major injuries such as fractures. Many of these accidents occur airside during aircraft maintenance, accessing or egressing the aircraft and working on or from service equipment - with falls from height and workplace transport incidents causing the majority of air-transport related accidents reported by the HSE.2 A significant proportion of the most serious accidents occur during aircraft turnaround. The scenario is broadly similar throughout Europe, though statistical data is hard to come by.
Slips, Trips and Falls Lead to Shattered Lives
'Accidents can shatter lives.' That's the key message of a campaign launched by the Health and Safety Executive this February. The campaign - 'Shattered Lives' - encourages a step-change in the attitudes of employers and their employees, to help them reduce the number of serious injuries to themselves and their colleagues. The duty of care for employees rests with employers but anyone at work can help to reduce slips, trips and falls from height in the workplace.
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HSI's Height FORUM
We offered height safety manufacturers the opportunity to explain what they think are the most essential considerations when selecting this important area of PPE, what developments they are particularly proud of and how they see the market progressing in the future.
Fall Arrest Equipment
Of all the sectors of the safety market Fall Arrest is one of the most complex, with every different scenario requiring a different solution and a different level of understanding. It is also one of the least understood and most often poorly addressed areas of personnel safety, whilst remaining one of the few sectors where the result of a wrong product decision or poor working method will almost certainly result in the death of a worker should a fall occur.
Slips and Trips
This report presents baseline findings from a survey on IOSH members’ views on the issue of slips and trips. The findings build a picture of how the issue is currently perceived, what’s being done about it and what additional support IOSH members feel they’d like. Annual surveys in 2007 and 2008 will provide both IOSH and HSE with further valuable information on how the situation is changing.
Workers Height Safety
The Work at Height Regulations came into force in 2005. These regulations apply to all industries and cover elevated work platforms (including scaffolding and permanent platforms), fragile surfaces (e.g. roofs), and any ladders, gangways and stairways used to get to the elevated workplace. There are a number of areas of industry affected.
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Working at Height [April 2007]
Working at height is work undertaken at a place where injury could occur should somebody fall from it - often involving the use of scaffolds, ladders, hoists, gantries or general roof work. Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injury, and the second most common cause of serious occupational injuries in the UK. 46 people died during 2005/2006, compared with 67 deaths during 2003/2004. Many of these accidents could have been avoided if the right equipment had been available and correct working practices put in place.
Inspection of Height PPE
ppe, personal protective equipment, fall protection, working at height
Falls from Height
Although the total number of personnel being killed at work is on the decline, there are certain activities which are still of concern. Working at height, according to the HSE, remains the most common kind of accident in the workplace with falls from height accounting for nearly twenty five percent of deaths among workers across all industries.
Working at Height [July 2006]
In 2005 the UK introduced the Work at Height Regulations into statute law. The reason for introduction was twofold. Firstly to ensure that the UK complied with fundamental requirements of the European Temporary Work at Height Directive as it is duty bound to do, and secondly to take the opportunity to target an area of work where there were real concerns about existing work practices. The previous Regulations concerning work at height were scattered throughout the Health and Safety at Work Act and provided little in the way of practical guidance to those engaged in work at height. The new Regulations aimed to change that and give those at work a structured approach to dealing with these tasks.
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Safe Approach to Height
Many deaths and major injuries are easily avoidable if simple, sensible measures are taken to reduce the risk of a fall from height.
Simplicity Works
The safe solution for work-at-height. It may have emerged from the adventure sports of climbing and caving but rope access has developed to become an adaptable and inherently safe method for high and difficult access work and is now global in its coverage. Though it has been part of the access industry for less than twenty years and can appear almost quaint in its simplicity of operation, rope access continues to grow with surprising rapidity, offering remarkable diversity to contractors.
Safety Nets for Working at Height
Minimising the consequences of a fall - It is easy sometimes to forget just how long safety nets have been in use in the UK. In a very short period of time, safety nets have become almost as common as safety boots and hard hats.
UK’s New Work at Height Regulations
When they come into force The Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) will implement the Temporary Work at Height Directive in the UK. The key elements of the development approach taken by HSE in the drafting of the Regulations are outlined and analysed in this report.
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Working at Height - Are you properly protected?
When working at a height, whether on a roof or a tall mast, protection against a fall is crucial. How can you be certain that the equipment you use as your life insurance is up to the job?
Rescue - No Second Chance
A Re-Assessment of the Priority Given to the Question of Rescue at Height in Industry Pete Ward considers the case for a more integrated approach to Rescue at Height and concludes that a full appreciation of available technology is still some way off...
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