Yes, you read that correctly! We couldn’t believe it either. Here’s what we know so far.
As reported by ScaffMag, the UK government were, in fact, planning to scrap our work at height regulations, but have now pressed pause.
Since we left the EU, many of the laws that we were operating under were set to automatically expire, with work at height laws to come to a close at the end of 2023. This would have meant the end of mandated work at height safety training and farewell to legal repercussions for those who skirt around safety protocol. Without laws specifically replaced or kept the regulations that protected our workers are now considered a relic of our time in the EU and nothing more.
But since our government have now u-turned on the plan, our Work at Height Regulations are, for now, safe. That’s a relief!
So, what about this whole situation?
Our Thoughts
Following safety standards should just be a given, whether they are mandatory or not – and there is no harm in going above and beyond for your own peace of mind if nothing else. This might mean an ordinary task takes that little bit longer, but it is worth it for the added security and safety of yourself and your team members.
As we continue into 2024 it’s uncertain if this law overhaul will actually come to pass. But whether the regulations are scrapped or not, we do not recommend dropping safety protocol in the event that it is no longer mandatory – in fact, we would call it madness to even consider it.
Always go the extra mile when working at height – lives quite literally depend on it.
Get In Touch
For health and safety training courses from Ability International click here to browse our offers. You can also look at our work at height solutions here and then let us know if you need to hire or purchase equipment by filling out our enquiry form.
Image Source: Canva