It doesn’t matter if you're carrying out DIY on your roof or are performing maintenance tasks on atop a tall building, working at height produces a host of risks that other jobs just don’t have to contend with.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height, whether on a ladder or from more extreme distances, remains one the biggest cause of injury and death in the UK. Because of this, it really is essential that you treat the potential dangers of working at heights seriously.
Why is it so important?
During the
2018/2019 year, 147 people were killed while at work. Out of this 147, 40 were people who were working at height and fell. Because of this, three people were fatally injured every month due to falls from height, a number that has increased from the year before.
With this in mind, it is now more important than ever that teams take working at height seriously in order to prevent disaster. Aside from the moral obligation to protect you and your team, a fall from height can lead to costly litigation and job losses which could completely halt your business.
What can I do?
While there are a host of rules and regulations that are set out by HSE, there are a few things you need to remember whenever you’re considering working from height in order to get you started. For starters, planning is everything when it comes to height safety. A competent person with knowledge and experience of planning working at height needs to be in charge of this process.
A quality planner will ensure that, where working at height isn’t necessary, it isn’t done or is at least minimised to reduce the danger of falling. They will also provide teams with the equipment required to maximize safety, looking to cover ‘collective’ protection as well as ‘personal’ protection.
By taking these first steps into consideration, you are well on your way to ensuring that you’re working safely at height. The
HSE website
is also an extremely useful resource for understanding your responsibilities.
Get in touch with the professionals at A1 Height Safety Ltd
Taking the necessary precautions to protect you and your team while working at height is vital. With this in mind, you need height safety equipment you can trust - this is where A1 Height Safety can help.
With an extensive range of equipment and resources specifically designed to keep you safe when working at heights, you can rest assured that our experienced team can help with your safety needs.
For more information, get in touch with our team on 01446 738 897 or
visit our website.