A formal four-month consultation period opened in December, with industry members, unions and workers invited to comment on the draft proposals.
The regulations will cover all industries across Britain and bring together all current legal requirements for safe work at height. The aim is to provide a cohesive, single set of regulations that are flexible enough to suit all and allow for technical innovation.
The regulations are intended to improve the planning, organisation and management of jobs that involve working at height, to eliminate the risks involved. The aim is to eradicate avoidable workplace deaths and injuries: 49 people were killed in fall from height accidents in 2002/03 and around 4000 suffer serious injuries annually.
HSC chair Bill Callaghan commented at the launch of the consultation document: "Despite recent improvements, falling from height remains the main cause of workplace deaths and the second biggest cause of serious injuries.
"While the risk of injury will differ, for instance when constructing buildings or using a stepladder, it is important that the risks are properly managed."
The HSC has backed up its concern over the risks by making reducing falls one of its Priority Programmes. The draft regulations will contribute to this Programme.
The regulations propose three key steps be considered before working at height:
- plan jobs to avoid the need to work at height if possible;
- where work at height is necessary, take steps to prevent falls by selecting a suitable work surface and equipment, considering factors such as the environment and duration of work;
- take steps to mitigate the effects of a fall if risks remain, such as using fall arrest equipment.
The document is available on the Health and Safety Executive web site (www.hse.gov.uk/consult/live.htm). For more on this story, see page 17.
Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
No comments yet