The only UK-based charity for the work at height sector has announced that it is launching the first ever No Falls Week, to take place from 13–17 May 2024.
The No Falls Foundation said this will be a key part of its campaign to raise awareness about the importance of safe working at height, to prevent falls and to ensure that everyone working at height comes down safely.
It is estimated that over one million businesses, and 10 million workers, carry out work involving some form of working at height every year. No Falls Week will provide the opportunity for organisations across all sectors to place a focus on work in this particular sector, which sees so many incidents.
Falls from height are consistently the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, with 40 people losing their lives at work due to a fall from height in 2022/23. Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that falls from height were responsible for a third of all workplace deaths last year, up from a quarter the year before.
There are an even greater number of nonfatal injuries resulting from a fall from height, with over 5000 people in Great Britain having been reported injured at work in 2022/23.
The No Falls Foundation believes that there is substantial under-reporting of nonfatal falls from height for all workers, particularly the self-employed, who were found to report just 12% of workplace incidents.
According to the Labour Force Survey, HSE estimates the number of workplace falls from height over the last 10 years may be as many as 425,000.
To get involved, employers can sign up on the No Falls Week website, where they can find toolkits and resources from members of the Access Industry Forum (AIF) to help plan activities during the No Falls Week. This may include hosting toolbox talks, workshops or safety demonstrations, distributing informational materials and engaging in social media campaigns.
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