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Falls from height are one of the most common causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. According to the Health & Safety Executive, falls from height accounted for an average of 40 fatal injuries per year (28% of the total) from 2012-2017, and for 43,000 non-fatal injuries (7% of the total) for the period 2012-2017.
Just under half of all fall from height fatalities over the last five years were in the construction sector.
Work at height means work in any place, including a place at or below ground level, where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.
Among the employees most at risk are constructions workers, roofers, painters, decorators and window cleaners, and those who undertake one-off jobs without any training, supervision or equipment.
Some of the most common causes of accidents include falls from ladders, falls through roofs, falls from scaffolding, falls through roof lights, falls through exposed holes, and falls from exposed edges, platforms, ramps or pits.
In addition, claims may also be advanced for those injured as a result of falling objects.
Employees working at height or injured by falling objects at work are protected by the Work at Height Regulations 2005. These Regulations are in place to ensure that employers take all necessary steps to safeguard their employees whilst at work.
Employers and those in control of any work at height activity must ensure that work is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out by competent persons in a manner which is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe.
Work at height should be avoided if possible, but where it cannot, employers must take sufficient and suitable measures to prevent, as far as is reasonable, any person a falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. All operations requiring work at height require risk assessment and proper management of the risks. Where work at height cannot be avoided, every employer must provide sufficient work equipment, to minimise the distance and the consequences of a fall, and ensure the appropriate training of those employees who are working at height.
If you have been injured in a fall from height at work or as a result of falling objects, we can help. Our experienced specialist solicitors have claimed thousands of pounds in compensation for employees injured as a result of falls from height and falling objects.
Email Jacqueline Raitt
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