The UK has strict regulations regarding
working at height. Yet falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities.
And they are almost always preventable.
Accounting for 35 deaths and 8% of all workplace accidents last year, falls from height can be catastrophic. Many businesses believe they are compliant with regulations because they’ve got the kit – think harnesses and ladders. In reality, common, dangerous errors in planning and supervision can be overlooked, leading
to disaster.
In this blog, we uncover the 5 most common mistakes made when working at height. Understanding where others go wrong will help you to better protect your employees and your business from the devastating consequences of a fall.
Mistake 1: Ignoring the No Minimum Height Rule
One of the most common mistakes businesses make is assuming the Work at Height Regulations apply only to significant heights, such as roofs and scaffolding.
This could not be more wrong.
Under the Working at Height Regulations, working at height is described as ‘any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury’. There is no minimum height requirement. That means activities such as standing on an office chair, stepping into an inspection pit, painting a ceiling while standing on a stepladder, and working on a mezzanine floor all count.
When a business doesn’t understand this, falls from low heights are underestimated. But even a fall from a step stool has the potential to cause life-changing injuries such as spinal damage and long-term mobility issues.
Every task involving the risk of a potential fall, no matter how small, must be properly assessed.
Mistake 2: Failing to Follow the Hierarchy of Controls
The second on our list of common mistakes? Jumping straight to personal protective equipment, such as safety harnesses. Often, businesses will use this approach because the equipment is familiar, quick or convenient.
Unfortunately, businesses that fail to follow the hierarchy of controls laid out in the Working at Height Regulations
are violating the law.
The Hierarchy of Controls
The Work at Height Regulations require a specific order to be adhered to:
1. Avoid working at height.
If a task doesn’t need to be done at height, do it on or from the ground.
2. Prevent falls using collective protection.
Collective protection, like guardrails or platforms, keeps everyone safe.
3. Minimise the fall distance.
When falls cannot be prevented, businesses must introduce safety measures such as nets or airbags to cushion an individual should they fall.
4. Implement personal fall protection measures.
Harnesses fall into this category and should only be used as a last resort.
Not only should businesses follow this hierarchy, but they must document and justify why each higher-level control isn’t reasonably practicable before moving down the list.
Choosing harnesses simply because they are easier, cheaper or more accessible than scaffolding? You are breaking the law.
Top tip: ALWAYS ask ‘Can we do this from the ground?’ first. If the answer is no, collective protection is your next go-to.
For more on working at height and the hierarchy of controls, read this.
Mistake 3: Over-Reliance on Ladders for the Wrong Tasks
Ladders are readily available and among of the most commonly used pieces of access equipment. Unfortunately, that means that they are very often misused.
Using ladders for tasks they are not designed for is not safe. They should only be used for low-risk, short-duration work tasks – typically around 30 minutes or less, where both hands aren’t needed for the work itself. This allows the user to maintain stability.
Typical ways ladders can be misused include the following:
- Overreaching to the side
- Carrying heavy materials whilst climbing
- Failing to maintain three points of contact
- Conducting two-handed work tasks.
Each of these actions significantly increases the risk of a fall from height – and remember, you only need to be a step up for it to count. If a job will take longer than 30 minutes, requires significant force or involves working with both hands, use tower scaffolding or a MEWP instead.
Mistake 4: Missing or Theoretical Rescue Plans
Providing safety harnesses without a rescue plan is like installing fire alarms without fire exits.
Don’t do it.
If a harnessed worker falls and is left suspended, the trauma this causes to the body can become fatal within minutes as blood pools in the legs and the oxygen supply to vital organs is reduced.
Despite this risk, many businesses either have no rescue plan or assume the Fire Service will handle it if things go wrong. This is incorrect, as emergency services are often too slow in arriving on scene to prevent serious injury or death.
A compliant rescue plan is critical. It must specify who will perform the rescue (this must be named, adequately trained personnel), what equipment will be used and how quickly the rescue can occur.
Rescue plans must be documented, regularly practised and routinely updated if necessary.
Remember: calling 999 is your backup plan, not your rescue plan.
Mistake 5: Assuming ‘Used It Before’ Equals Competence
20 years of ladder use doesn’t guarantee competence. It’s that simple. (It might even translate as 20 years of bad habits!)
Regulations evolve over time and equipment changes. Many serious falls involve experienced workers who choose to take familiar shortcuts rather than adhere to safe practices.
True, earned competence requires good training, knowledge, understanding and experience. Formal training ensures workers understand the current regulations and why they exist, making them more likely to follow procedures to the letter (even when unsupervised). This genuine understanding of the risks can save lives, – as well as compliance paperwork and business reputation.
Don't Let Oversights Lead to Falls
Working at height will always carry risk, but falls are rarely unavoidable. The five mistakes we’ve explored can be easily prevented, and the difference between a safe worksite and a fatal accident often comes down to a combination of proper planning, appropriate equipment and genuine competence.
Every fall from height represents a failure in the system. Perhaps planning was inadequate or training insufficient. Maybe a shortcut was taken under pressure by a stressed-out employee. These are predictable outcomes that should have been addressed before the incident occurred.
Don’t wait for a near miss or worse to review your procedures. Invest in proper training, follow the hierarchy of controls and create a workplace culture where safety isn’t negotiable.
Envesca offers comprehensive Working at Height training (both e-learning and classroom-based) that covers legal requirements, practical skills and risk assessment.
Get in touch today to ensure your team has the knowledge and confidence to work safely at height.
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