Staff Safety When Working at Height
At Lockinex we understand that safety of employees is your highest priority in the workplace. Working at height comes with inherent risks and it's important to be aware and mitigate hazards that workers face when working at height.
Working at height systems such as Access Ladders will not only protect workers but protect your company.
Installation of an Access Ladder helps comply with the Working at Height Regulations 2005 which addresses safe access when working at height.
However, the Working at Height Regulations do not provide exact design specifications for fixed roof access ladders. That’s why our roof access ladders are designed to BS 4211:2005+A1:2008 which specifies exact dimensions and required safety features.
By installing a fixed roof access ladder which includes a safety cage designed to the above British Standard, you’ll help meet the requirements of The Working at Height Regulations 2005, in short it says:
Every existing place of work or means of access height shall:
What are Access Ladders?
Access Ladders are fixed ladders designed specifically for use within elevated areas to reach areas such as rooftops, raised floors and platforms. They provide safe and secure access to perform tasks such as roof maintenance and inspecting sites by providing a reliable means of ascending and descending work areas.
Available in a variety of forms such as galvanised steel, aluminium and GRP, access ladders are suitable for many applications depending on the required environments and can be used to access rest platforms on elevated maintenance areas.
During 2022 and 2023 the main cause of all workplace fatalities was caused by falls from height while working.
This is why it's vital to analyse the situation and secure any access points with systems such as Access Ladders and other fall protection.
Installation of an Access Ladder provides a guaranteed clear path for workers to be able to access elevated areas and greatly decrease chance of accidents.
Without a guaranteed clear path for workers at height you are increasing the odds of accidents and even fatalities, putting your employees and your company at risk.
Costs and Consequences of Workplace Injuries
Accidents at work create numerous life changing problems not just for employees but for the company too.
Falls from height often cause serious injury or, worst-case scenario, death. If one or several of your employees fall from height, HSE are required by law to complete a full inspection involving a large team, agencies and even the police.
If it’s discovered within the mandatory investigations by HSE that reasonably practicable steps were not taken to protect your workers while at height, then as per HSE guidance you will be held fully responsible.
Injuries within the workplace can cost companies thousands, sometimes even millions of pounds in legal fees, workplace compensation and investigations from authorities.
Unseen Consequences of Working at Height
Labour time from the injured worker, delay in projects due to investigation closure and the efficiency and morale of your team may all be unseen consequences of accidents. All the while you are still having to pay these workers and even large fines to the authorities and compensation to your injured team member.
Injuries are not good for company morale, and this will affect the efficiency of your company having a knock-on effect for other projects and departments within the company.
Plus, unwanted press releases about the incident will give your company bad publicity and effect the reputation of your company for years to come. Resulting in you losing out on deals, skilled workers for your team and constant red tape by authorities on future projects.
We at Lockinex believe it’s not worth it to ignore these risks and it's important to always be aware of the solutions available to you to mitigate hazards.
Fall protection such as Access Ladders, Collective Protection and fall arrest systems provide a suitable solution to safely working at height.
Tragic Consequences of Ignoring Height Hazards:
In 2016 two technicians at a facilities management company were tasked to install filters at existing air-conditioning units on the rooftop of a building. Upon reaching the top, which was accessed by climbing two fixed ladders, the first technician waited for their colleague.
After waiting for about 5 minutes, the technician walked back to look for their co-worker. He found the senior technician lying on the floor about 1m away from the bottom of the fixed ladder with a bin bag of filters beside him. The senior technician was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The senior technician lost his footing while climbing the first fixed vertical ladder and unfortunately fell to a preventable death.
Under investigation it was found that the ladder did not include any fall protection measures and the design of the existing fixed ladder should be improved through provision of safety cages, extending the ladder to provide sufficient handhold, or equipping it with lifelines with fall arresting devices.
Between 2018 and 2022 an average of 612,000 workers were injured within the workplace each year.
In 2019/2020 the consequences of these workplace injuries became glaringly evident, resulting in a staggering financial burden totalling £7.6 billion for companies throughout the UK.
Fatalities proved to be an especially costly aspect of workplace injuries, with each fatality incurring an average expense of £1.9 million, as assessed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Meanwhile, non-fatal injuries, though less severe, still carried a significant economic weight, with each case costing approximately £12,000, according to audits conducted by the HSE.
It is important to note that the Coronavirus pandemic may affect the statistics provided by HSE during this time, particularly in the realm of ill health. The cost associated with cases of ill health reached an estimated £11.2 billion, underscoring the complexity and multifaceted nature of workplace safety concerns during this challenging time.
These statistics serve as a stark reminder of the immense importance of maintaining and improving workplace safety measures to safeguard the well-being of employees and mitigate the substantial financial burdens placed on companies in the face of workplace injuries and illnesses.
At Lockinex we believe in providing suitable safety solutions to protect employees and companies from safety hazards and mitigate scenarios like these affecting your workforce and business.
All our systems are designed by us to the highest British Standards for easy installation and use within industrial based environments. Solving working at height hazards and complying with the necessary legal regulations for years to come thanks to their galvanised finish which offers up to 85-years of service life.
We have been supplying our Access Ladders and other working at height systems for decades to roofing contractors, facilities management teams and Height safety specialists across the UK.
We take pride in being the foremost standard for safety solutions within the UK, with a specialisation in working at height systems to offer our customers a perfectly executed solution for fall protection.
Our outstanding lead times reflect our commitment to providing our customers with the most seamless solutions for their projects.
The team at Lockinex comprises of safety experts who are readily available to assist with any inquiries you may have. We offer our expertise to guide you in selecting the most suitable products and services for your projects.
With next-day delivery as standard and the option for same-day delivery, why not contact one of our leading experts today?
Discover how we can help ensure your project runs smoothly and even exceeds expectations.
Interested in learning more about our Access Ladder system?
Get in touch with our specialists and a member of our team will personally send you our detailed technical information document where you can find out more about the Access Ladders, we offer to roofing contractors and working at height specialists all over the UK.
References:
Working at Height Regulations of 2005
Workplace Fatalities 2022/2023
Cost to Britain of Workplace Injuries 2019/2020
Working at Height Case Study