Avoiding the drop – BSIF appeals for safer practices when working at height
October 1st 2009
Falls from height result in a quarter of all major injuries and are still the most common
kind of workplace accident to cause fatality; provisional figures show that 58 people
died from a fall from height at work in 2007/08.The BSIF is working to raise awareness
of the importance of safe practice in this area
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) provides a
single authoritative voice representing the views of the
health and safety industry in both the UK and Europe
and is committed to raising awareness of height safety.
David Hall, chairman for the BSIF comments: "The BSIF would
like to see the incidents of injuries caused by working at height
significantly reduced. Many lives are lost because of negligence,
often due to ignorance and a lack of training. It is these areas we
need to address and ensure everyone working at height can
access important safety advice."
A number of challenges facing the safety industry have been,
or are being resolved, including legislative and guidance
documents being introduced. However, there are still several
areas which need to be addressed in relation to work at height in
order to ensure the safety of workers.
The product issue
There is a range and complexity of available products for
ensuring the safety of people who work at height. This causes
significant confusion in the selection and deployment of suitable
equipment and PPE. Work at Height Regulations 2005, provide
guidance on the selection of fall prevention measures, however
products such as fall arrest kits are not always suitable in all
situations and are therefore sometimes inadequate for the
purpose risks against which they are being used for. EN standard
test requirements do not replicate real life situations and it is
often the case that when someone selects a product, they are
unable to relate the test standards to the use.
In addition, the industry has faced numerous challenges, such
as issues surrounding lanyard degradation, the introduction and
subsequent misuse of twin lanyards, misuse of inertia reel devices
(EN360), the use of fall protection within caged ladders, etc.
These have also often been caused by shortfalls in EN standards
that have, in some cases, been in force for many years.The BSIF
would like to see more realistic testing so standards can be easily
related to real life situations, providing clarity for manufacturers,
distributors and end users. Also, while most parts of a fall arrest
system are subject to testing, a recent EU decision has led to
some anchors being identified as construction products, which
may not be subject to testing, rather than PPE. It makes sense for
anyone installing a fall arrest anchor to ensure that they are CE
marked to the PPE Directive and not purely construction
products that may fail and could lead to a potential death.
The competency debate
Duty Holders are responsible under UK legislation for ensuring
that 'adequate' risk assessments are undertaken by a competent
person and that preventative measures are put in place to ensure
the safety of workers at height.
At present there are no means to test the competency of an
individual, however a lack of in-depth Height Safety knowledge
can lead to dangerous practices not being identified and
inappropriate choices being made. This is due to a lack of
product knowledge and experience of site conditions which may
affect and prevent work from taking place safely. Workers should
be involved in the risk assessment process as they often have a far
greater knowledge of the job requirements than managers.
Recognised training
Lastly, a real issue lies with the fact that there is no single
recognised training or accreditation in place for people working
at height. The BSIF reflects the concerns of its members about
the variation in and quality of training available and would like
to see a nationally accepted accreditation scheme, like CORGI,
that would benefit everyone in the industry.
Graham Willmott, marketing director, Safesite and BSIF
member comments: "Work at height is an essential part of many
jobs but that does not mean that the person carrying out the
work is fully aware of the risks. This is where training is essential,
not just for those who are carrying out the task but also for
anyone responsible for the work of others.
"Unfortunately, at the moment there are very few accredited
work at height training courses. Unless the trainer is competent
in working at height and is a qualified trainer (for example, to
City & Guilds 7303), the course will be a waste of time. The value
of any training course lies with the ability of the trainer to engage
the delegates and in their own practical experience and
knowledge of the subject."
The BSIF is the only trade body to provide a public service
role within the health and safety industry. Acting as an
information source funded directly by the industry, the BSIF
provides direction in all health and safety matters, including
work at height, to both its
members and non-members. More articles from BSIF Enterprise: | 
