Why a fear of heights could be a good thing
October 1st 2008

Falls from height remain the most common kind of workplace fatality. More than a quarter of falls happen from ladders. On average 13 people a year die at work falling from ladders and nearly 1200 suffer major injuries.

Following the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations (2005) which came into force in April 2005, employers have a duty to assess the risks, plan and supervise all workers who work at height. Taking simple action such as ensuring that your ladders are in good working condition and carrying out pre-use checks at the beginning of the day are essential and should become part of the working day.

To help the British Safety Council has launched a one-day course designed to provide a good understanding of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the impact of the Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007.

The course teaches delegates when the WAH regulations apply, the importance of the hierarchy of fall protection and how to establish arrangements to comply with the law.

Who should attend?

The course is ideal for people in all land-based industries who are involved in working at height including:

• Customers who own assets at height or hire others to work at height for them

• Managers who conduct risk assessments or write method statements

• Supervisors of work at height activities

• Designers with duties under the CDM Regulations

• Maintenance and facilities management companies

• Contractors and subcontractors

• Health and safety professionals

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