According to a report by the UK’s Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in 2019/20, almost half of all construction accidents that year were from falls at height. The Building Safety Group has also reported an increase of 84% in the number of working at height breaches occurring on construction sites during the first quarter of 2021. These are worrying statistics, especially considering the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require all employers to take the proper precautions to prevent death and injury due to falls.
At Hilti, our customers are always telling us how important it is for them to feel safe when working at height. Whilst this type of work is largely unavoidable for most trades (particularly for customers involved in external cladding, curtain wall and roofing applications, or those in energy related trades such as utilities, power and offshore), there are measures employers can take to reduce these risks and increase overall safety.
Here’s 3 ways you can help make working at height safer: