IN FOCUS: Working At Height

Working at height is no joke. Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Work at height means work in any place where there are no precautions in place and a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.

We’re talking ladders, scaffolds and of course roofs. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 aim to prevent death and injury from a fall from height

Here’s what you need to know to stay safe:

• Use common sense there are always low-risk situations where a good dose of common sense will tell you that no precautions are necessary – the law knows this too, so you won’t get caught out.
• Ladders and Stepladders are perfectly acceptable for work at height and in many situations are the most suitable equipment to do so
• Avoid working at height, where it is practical to do so
• Where it cannot be avoided prevent falls using an existing place of work which is already safe or the right equipment
• Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall by using the right kind of equipment
• Do as much work as possible from the ground
• Ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height
• Make sure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job
• Ensure equipment is maintained and checked regularly
• Provide protection from falling objects
• Consider your emergency evacuation and rescue procedures.

And here’s why you need to know it

Two examples of where not complying with regulations led to fatality and tragedy.

A specialist construction company was fined £60,000 after a worker fell to his death from a church steeple in Birmingham.

David Clover was employed by Ecclesiastical Steeplejacks Ltd to carry out restoration work to St Nicholas’ Church in Kings Norton on 13 November 2020. The 64-year-old steeplejack had been suspended from the 60 metre-tall steeple of the Grade 1 listed building, sitting in a ‘bosun’s chair’ – a work positioning seat – when he fell, suffering fatal injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified that the bosun’s chair was not supported by a suitable backup system preventing falls, such as a double or twin-leg lanyard fall arrest harness.

The company has since ceased trading.

Company Fined After Barn Roof Fall

A company has been fined £133,000 after a man was left seriously injured when he fell through a barn roof in Southampton.

The 37-year-old from Bursledon had been helping his friend repair a fire-damaged storage barn at Dodwell Farm Limited on Pylands Lane on 9 February 2023.

The father-of-one had been at the top of a sloped roof fixing new panels to timbers, but they weren’t strong enough to hold his weight. They gave way when he stood on them and he fell through to the hard surface about 10 metres below. The injuries he sustained were severe and resulted in an extended period in hospital.

Dodwell Farm Limited had failed to take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of workers, and others affected by the work, when replacing the barn roof.

These are not cautionary tales but literal matters of life and death. Failure to comply with Working At Height Regulations can result in serious injury and consequences for all involved.

Need support with compliance? Get in touch, we can help!

Additional Resources
HSE Working At Height Guide