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Working at height
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Falling from height is the number one cause of fatal injuries to workers. It accounted for 53 of the 220 work-related fatalities in 2004/05. Falls from height are also a significant contributor to major injuries, accounting for 3,783 (13%) of the 30,213 reported in 2004/05. The perception of work at height is that it often relates to tasks such as roof work or scaffolding. Whilst this is true to an extent, it is perhaps surprising that 59% of major injuries occur following a fall from height of less than two metres and 61% of over 3 day injuries occur within the service industry. These statistics highlight that all industries are exposed to risks of falls from height. In this Issues Forum we examine the main agents and causes of these falls and suggest practical controls to assist with compliance to the Work at Height Regulations 2005. |
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When your staff are working at height, risk management is essential in order to prevent them joining the casualty figures.
Falling from height is the number one cause of fatal injuries to workers, accounting for a quarter of the total deaths. And whilst the phrase conjures up the image of a large drop, three-quarters (74 per cent) of major fall injuries come from heights of less than two metres.
Across all industries, ladders are at fault in three falls out of every ten (28 per cent), whilst vehicles are to blame in a fifth (22 per cent) of cases.
QBE's Working at Height publication was penned by Jon Lawrence and looks into causes of these falls in the construction industry and suggests practical ways to bring the numbers down.
The specialist in business insurance also has an Issues Forum, which covers many topical issues in the fields of health and safety and risk management. 