According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, last year more than 4,000 workers were injured after falling from height, and 12 of those died.

The HSE recently prosecuted a firm for breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

The company was prosecuted because the system of work it put in place required two workers to be standing on a roof more than four metres above ground without any safety equipment. The company was prosecuted even though its workers hadn't been injured.

Veronica Male, a legal executive and personal injury specialist, said: "This prosecution highlights the HSE's concern that workers and employees aren't being protected from the risk of working at height."

The HSE inspector involved in the case said: "If either of the workers had slipped and fallen, they would have been seriously injured or even killed. We therefore had no other choice but to prosecute the company."

Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 there's a requirement, where work is to be carried out at a height, that the employer takes reasonably practicable steps to prevent falls from a height likely to cause injury.

This duty is placed on employers, the self-employed and any person who controls the work of others; for example, building owners who contract other people to work at height. They are known as 'duty holders'.

Veronica said: "'Duty holders' are required under the regulations to undertake steps to avoid their employees working at height where they can, or if they are required to work at height, to use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls. If they can't eliminate the risk of fall at all, they should use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance, and therefore the consequences of a fall, should one occur."

The regulations require that all work at height is properly planned and organised, that it takes into account any weather conditions that could endanger health and safety, and that those employees or workers are trained and competent in working at height. They also need to ensure that the place where the work at height is to be done is safe, and that equipment is appropriately inspected. Employers are also required to check that the risk presented by fragile surfaces is properly controlled - for example glass - as well as the risk from falling objects.

The Work at Height Regulations also include falls on construction sites or falls with people using ladders in the course of their employment.

Veronica added: "Employers need to take on an effective role in reducing accidents at work and falls from height. They have a duty to ensure that risks to employees, when working at height, are reduced to the lowest practicable level, and that employees are provided with suitable, safe equipment to help prevent avoidable accidents."

Further details of the HSE prosecution can be found on their website.

For further advice regarding accidents at work and personal injury in general, visit our pages.

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