Health & Safety

Falls from height are the most common kind of accident causing fatal injuries with the latest figures* showing that 45 people died from a fall from height at work in 2006/07 and 3750 people suffered major injury as a result of a fall at work in the same period.
* HSE statistics of fatal injuries 2006/07

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 are several sets of regulations that are relevant to the use of work platforms.

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
• Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations 1998
• Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007
• Work at Height Regulations 2005

The Work at Height Regulations 2005, apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. The regulations place duties on employers, the self employed and any person who controls the work of others. This would include facilities managers and building owners who may contract others to work at height.

What is work at height?

A place is "at height" if a person could be injured falling from it, even if it is at or below ground level. The overriding principle* for all employers, the self employed and any person who controls the work of others, is to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling.
* Work at Height Regulations 2005