Falls from height in the construction industry

The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspection programme which took place in October last year brought up some troubling statistics. The aim was to visit and review safety practices on some 2,500 construction sites where refurbishment or repair work was taking place. On nearly half of the 2,607 sites visited, basic safety standards were not being met. 539 prohibition notices to stop dangerous activities immediately, and 414 improvement notices requiring standards to improve were served to protect workers.

Amongst other failings in standards, one of the most common was a failure to adequately protect workers at height. Looking at the statistics for the construction industry compared with the wider economy it is clearly an area that the needs urgent attention to prevent injury and save lives.

Construction as an industry accounts for around 5% of the UK workforce, but over a quarter of all fatal injuries in the UK. In 2012/13, construction was responsible for 39 of the nearly 150 fatal injuries recorded – higher than the extractive industries, higher (in absolute terms) even than agriculture. Of all fatal injuries recorded last year in the UK, approximately one third were attributable to a fall from height. When looking at the construction industry alone, that figure doubles, accounting for nearly two thirds of fatal injuries.

It is perhaps no surprise that when the fatalities in construction are broken down by role, there is a prevalence of positions that require working at height: Roofers, tilers and slaters, Carpenters and joiners, and roles that are ‘nec’ – not elsewhere classified – such as labourers. Roofers alone constitute nearly a quarter of fatalities from height. Fatalities due to falls from height in construction constitute half of all deaths due to falls, and in fact constitute a little over 15% of all fatalities in the UK. Ultimately loss of life cannot be quantified, but injuries (in 2011/12) cost the UK nearly six hundred thousand working days.

Further details are not immediately forthcoming – data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS3) fills in some of the blanks with 10% of fall injuries across the workforce caused by falls of less than 6 feet – suggesting a ladder fall. Almost half of all fatal falls were from a height of less than 20 feet, and 20% were from heights above 30 feet. The HSE proposes that over half of the serious injuries reported to the HSE result from either a fall from height or from tripping over materials on walkways – and are easily preventable. The HSE also identifies inadequate scaffolding and edge protection on roofs, edges, and openings in buildings, and the inappropriate use of ladder and hoists as being key causes of fatal injury.

Putting aside the human and emotional cost of an incident at work, which can be devastating for co-workers, family and friends; the average cost in fine and fees of a fall from height injury claim is ￡15,000 – potentially tens of times more in the event of a fatality. With potentially increased HSE scrutiny and the heavier hand of the law coming to bear in the form of corporate manslaughter, an employer who cannot justify their control measures and systems after an accident could find themselves found criminally negligent and face not only financial penalty but even a custodial sentence. 

Without a robust management framework and structured health & safety procedures in place workers will be exposed to unnecessary workplace risks. Implementing safe working procedures which are shared throughout the organisation and reviewed at frequent intervals will help avoid or mitigate falling from height accidents and incidents. Consider what policies, procedures and controls your organisation has in place.

Poor site conditions, hazards from works activity and poor visibility can be major contributors to falls from height. These can be avoided to some extent if proper site risk assessments are carried out prior to the commencement of work. Proper housekeeping and maintenance can also help. Are you confident that your risk assessments are up to date and how is your working environment managed on a daily basis?

Violation of rules, misuse of personal protective or site equipment or use of an unauthorised access mean that workers often put themselves and their co-workers in danger. This may be because they don’t know any different or have been inadequately trained. Health & safety training should not be limited to the higher echelons alone but made an essential part of employee induction and ongoing management. Consider the critical knowledge that is needed for your employees to undertake their roles safely.

Having total visibility over the risks within your workplace and associated legal obligations is essential if you are to quickly identify trends and prioritise both remedial and proactive strategies. Consider how you manage your information and documentation relating to health & safety – is it easily accessible and up to date? Do you have full visibility of the extent of incidents across multiple sites?

Whilst knowing that you need to stay abreast of changes to the law, if you are a small business then you may struggle with the costs associated with employing full time staff to ensure your business remains compliant. Consider whether you need additional support to stay compliant. Outsourcing your health & safety requirements to an external provider is one way to ensure your knowledge and documentation is up to date and will give you the time and resource to focus on the job in hand.