Falls from height have been steadily rising over the past five years.
According to the HSE report, they are the third-highest cause of fatal injuries, with up to 80 major injuries every year. This means that more companies are losing money in compensation claims. A recent example is The Clarendon Food Company Ltd, which was fined £40,000 after a worker fell from a ladder. The worker fell 4.5 meters after the ladder slipped, sustaining multiple fractures in his right arm, left leg, and cheekbone. He also dislocated his backbone.
Upon further investigations, the HSE discovered that the accident could have been avoided with proper planning and better training. If you don’t want to pay such hefty fines, continue reading to find out how you can avoid accidents involving falls from height in the workplace.
How To Prevent Accidents In The Workplace?
According to the law, employers must complete a risk assessment in the workplace and put in place relevant safety measures to protect their employees at all times. Part of these safety measures includes ensuring that the equipment is in perfect condition and training all employees working at height.
Wondering where to train your employees? Ability International offers a certificated working at height safety training course for various equipment, including ladders, steps, and scaffold towers. Their trainers have vast experience in the access industry and offer practical on-site training. Some of their courses include:
- Safe use and inspection of aluminium scaffold towers, portable ladders, and desk surfers
- Ladder and roof safety for chimney sweeps and installers
- Safe use and inspection of fall arrest and harness systems
- Safety and inspection courses for managers and supervisors
- Safety on roofs
- Safe use and inspection of manually operated telescopic work platforms
In addition to the initial training, it is recommended that you offer refresher training every five years to ensure that your workers are always up to date on working at height safety measures.
Online Training
To ensure that you remain compliant with the law, Ability International also offers online working at height training courses. At a fraction of the cost, this comprehensive course covers everything you need to know, from what working at height is, safety issues, and how to reduce related risks. It is approximately 105 minutes long, so your workers can receive training with minimal loss of productivity.
If you undertake work at height or employ people who work at height regularly, get in touch with us today for more information about our online training courses.
Image Source: Unsplash