UK safety authority targets falls from height

The UK's Health & Safety Commission (HSC) is seeking views from industry, unions and workers on draft work at height regulations and guidance. A four-month consultation period began on 4 December.

Each year between 50 and 60 workers are killed in the UK as a result of a fall from height and around 4,000 workers suffer serious injuries. It is the biggest cause of death and the second biggest cause of serious injury at work. The HSC has made tackling the problem one of its priorities.

The proposals to improve the planning, organising and management of work at height are set out in a consultation document, available from the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/live.htm.

The draft regulations adopt a risk-based approach to working at height and propose that the following three key steps be considered before carrying out work at height: 1. If you can avoid the need to work at height then do so ­ with a little planning many activities can be conducted safely from the ground.

2. Where you cannot avoid working at height then you must take steps to prevent falls by either working from a safe place of work at height, or if this is not available, by selecting the most suitable equipment for working at height. You should take into consideration the risks and factors such as the duration of the work and the environment in which the equipment is to be used.

3. If there is any remaining risk of a fall you should take steps to mitigate the effect, for example by using fall arrest equipment. Risk assessment is the key to the proper planning and organisation of all work at height and should inform the selection and use of appropriate equipment.

In an unrelated move, Canadian oil company Syncrude is leading an initiative to reduce the risks from falling from mobile cranes. A workshop was held in November, involving manufacturers, lifting contractors and occupational safety experts to assess the risks of falls from height on mobile cranes and develop a programme of action. A full report will be included in the JANUARY 2004 issue of Cranes Today.