THE BLOG WHAT'S NEW?

Do you log all accidents and near misses in the company?

Are your health and safety documents up to date and do the risk assessments reflect any recent accidents or near misses?

Do you learn from accidents and near misses?

This week the focus is on the impact of avoidable workplace injuries.

Contact us if you require further information.

HSE Guidance HSG150: Health and Safety in Construction, observes that falls are the largest cause of accidents and fatalities in the construction industry.

The primary focus of guidance in this area tends to look at the general causes of falls, which are described under two categories; “working at height” or “slips and trips”, and in turn, support is offered on both of these topics, with the stated aim of helping with the identification of hazards, controlling risks and explaining how to “plan, organise, control, monitor and review health and safety throughout the life of a project”.

HSE also provides subject specific guidance looking at activities that may result in an increased risk of falls. Examples include roof work, ladders (and step ladders), scaffolding, mobile platforms, and fragile surfaces.

It should perhaps be noted that the guidance offered by HSE does not distinguish between “low” and “high” falls. This is in line with the approach adopted by legislation; for example, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 describe work at height as:

(a) work in any place, including a place at or below ground level,

(b) obtaining access to or egress from such place while at work, except by a staircase in a permanent workplace,

where, if measures required were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.

Falls from height are not the only potential cause of injury. Falls onto things, such as; hot work; wet concrete; protruding reinforcement; onto equipment, such as machinery; moving plant or vehicles, can also have serious consequences, regardless of the distance involved.

In all circumstances, HSE favours a risk-based approach, applied in the following three stages.

Firstly, measures should be put in place to avoid working in a way which could result in a fall. If that is not possible, then the amount of that work should be minimised, and as a last resort, protective measures should be put in place to mitigate the possible consequences of a fall.

The third item can also be subdivided into two parts, general or “collective” protective measures, such as guard rails or improved lighting, and personal protective measures, such as harnesses or protective clothing.

Protective measures may be categorised as “fall arrest” or “fall restraint” systems. The former stops someone who is experiencing a fall, for example by using a net or a harness, while the latter is designed to stop them falling in the first place, perhaps by means of guard rails, warnings or edge protection.

However, although the individual may also be a contributing factor, these kinds of accidents come about for one of two reasons; either the workplace itself is not safe, or access to the workplace is inadequate.

There are a number of ways of dealing with both issues, so let us look at some of the options.

Prevention hierarchy

There are several measures which you can use to reduce or eliminate the incidence of falls. Most important among these are risk assessments. Every situation has its challenges, but by using simple techniques, the following hierarchy can be established.

• Identify: List the potential hazards, the risk that they will occur and the potential consequences — injury, illness or, worst case, fatality. This can be used to determine the subsequent action.
• Avoid: Where possible, work with the highest risk and most serious consequence should be reconsidered with a view to not having to do it at all. Working practices may be adapted so that work at height is not necessary. For example, it may be possible to undertake work at ground level and then lift it into position rather than carrying it out it in situ.
• Prevent: Use an existing safe place of work, or access equipment such as scaffolds or mobile platforms fitted with guard rails. Include fall restraint systems such as a harness with a shorter anchor line which will prevent someone from getting into a position where they could fall. A good example of both techniques is the construction of the London Eye, the large observation wheel installed on the south Bank of the River Thames at the millennium, which was assembled on floating platforms before being elevated to vertical, meaning that work at height was minimised, so the risk to workers was significantly reduced.
• Minimise: If complete avoidance is not possible, then it may be possible to reduce the amount of risky work. For example, the use of extendable tools could remove the need to use ladders or platforms.
• Protect: As already mentioned, there are some protective measures which can be put in place to reduce the incidence of falls, either by stopping them happening, or by seeking to minimise the consequences. Examples include harnesses, safety nets or “soft landing” systems. An innovative recent example is the installation on some sites of proximity sensors and personal alarms which can alert workers when they are nearing a hazard. This can be in addition to visual or other audible warnings. However, while it is important, protection should always be seen as a last resort, as it is effectively acknowledging that the other measures are likely to fail.
• Train and instruct: An important part of all stages of the hierarchy is to ensure that people are aware of the dangers, are able to identify and deal with them, and sufficiently experienced in the use of preventative measures, such as harnesses and other protective equipment.

In some cases, it may be appropriate for you to draw up a series of “method statement” showing the procedures to be undertaken to ensure certain activities can be carried out safely. These are sometimes referred to as risk assessment method statements (RAMS).

The introduction and advancement of new technology has introduced the possibility of many other control solutions, especially those involving remote detection and navigation.

Practical steps

As well as providing training and instruction to people who are at risk of falls, you can implement some relatively simple steps which can be taken to further ensure the safety of all concerned.

• Make sure that workplaces and access to them are clean and dry. Working areas should be level, and without obstacles, or anything else which could be a hazard, such as uneven surfaces or coverings.
• Where appropriate, provide environmental protection. Exposure to weather conditions such as rain, wind and snow can all impede workers’ ability to perform, as can extremes of heat and cold, but things like dust and noise can also present problems. Other factors, such as excessive noise, can prevent instructions from being heard and understood, so the use of earpieces may be considered in those circumstances.
• Adequate lighting should be provided. It should also be noted that overly bright lighting or sunshine can also obscure vision, so it may be necessary to use shading as well as lighting in some cases.
• Holes, edges and other hazards should be clearly identified. This can be achieved with visual markers such as tape; audible warnings; or physical barriers such as guard rails and edge protection.
• PPE: Personal protective equipment should be made available that is suitable for the task being undertaken. As well as simple measures such as head and body protection, consideration should be given to appropriate fall restraint and fall protection systems. All PPE should be regularly checked and inspected — especially before each use — to make sure there are no defects or damage. And perhaps most importantly, it should fit properly.
• Training should be tailored to the task being undertaken or the protection/prevention used. As well as general training for operatives, it may be necessary to provide training for particular topics, such as slips, trips and falls, and task-specific training in the use of certain types of PPE, including fall arrest and restraint equipment. As always, training should be delivered in a way, and in a language which the operative can best understand.

Summary

Accidents involving falls are among the commonest causes of injuries and death in the construction industry. It follows, therefore, that they should be one of the easiest to reduce and eliminate.

Although the industry has made significant improvements in recent years, there is still some distance to go. However, by following some simple guidelines, planning properly, with well-trained operatives using the right equipment in the right environment, we can continue to take steps in the right direction.

Contact us if you have any queries.

As an employer, you are required by law to prevent physical and mental ill health in your workers that may occur as a result of your business activities. Your risk assessment will help you decide what actions you need to take to do this.

An important part of occupational health is concerned with how work and the work environment can impact on workers’ health, both physical and mental. It also includes how workers’ health can affect their ability to do their job. Put simply this means the effect of work on health and that of health on work.

In health and safety law, there are things you must do to make sure workers’ health is not adversely affected by their work and that workers are medically fit to carry out their work safely.

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The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Protected Characteristics) Bill, a Bill to require employers to ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) provided at work to people with certain protected characteristics within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 is suitable for the wearer and for connected purposes, has been tabled in Parliament.

The Bill will put the onus on employers to ensure PPE provided to people with certain protected characteristics is suitable for their needs.

Introducing the Bill, Labour MP Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) said that current PPE regulations do not make any specific mention of women. She told the Commons: “This omission is one which continues to have significant real-world consequences. The world is finally waking up to the fact that women are not just smaller men.”

Hardy noted that “reference to the Equalities Act can be found in guidance surrounding the regulations, but it’s not statutory. Well-fitting PPE should not be seen as best practice, it should be the minimum standard”.

While most distributors stock women’s PPE, she added: “The issue can sometimes lie with employers, despite it being readily available on the market.”

Ill-fitting PPE has been found to cause a range of health and safety issues which included increased slip, trips and falls, increased risk of entanglement, limited range of motion, decreased dexterity from gloves and impaired vision from safety glasses.

“Worryingly, 42% of women reported experiences of relating to ill-fitting PPE which has impacted their careers and long-term health problems,” Hardy added.

The Bill has received widespread industry support and is expected to progress to the second reading on 7 June 2024.

I have a personal interest in this topic. Feel free to read my article on PPE.

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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.

Contact us if you wish to find out more.