NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION BLITZ ON FALLS FROM HEIGHT

HSE press release: E083:03 - 29 May 2003

Construction sites across the UK will be inspected by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) during the first two weeks of June 2003 as part of a Europe-wide inspection-led campaign to reduce falls from height in construction. For the first time, this blitz will involve the co-ordinated action of all frontline construction inspectors during the two weeks.

Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of death, disability and injury in construction in Great Britain, accounting for almost half of all deaths and nearly a third of major injuries in 2001/2.

Kevin Myers, HSE Chief Inspector of Construction said: "Each year far too many construction workers die or suffer a major injury following a fall from height. Most of these incidents, and the personal loss and suffering they cause, could have been avoided. HSE inspectors will be visiting construction sites across the country during the first two weeks of June targeting the risk of falls from height. Where we identify poor standards and risks to persons working at height appropriate enforcement action will be taken including serving improvement or prohibition notices, or prosecution."

The blitz will be focusing on making sure that where work at height is taking place or planned a proper assessment of the risks has been carried out and the hierarchy of controls have been considered. For instance, inspectors will be looking to see that:

• Work at height has been eliminated where possible;
• Where elimination is not possible, the correct equipment has been selected;
• Work platforms have been installed with adequate access;
• If using mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs), they are used correctly;
• If using tower scaffolds, they are correctly erected with edge protection and toeboards as necessary;
• Ladders or step ladders are only being used for short duration work and that they are the correct type, secure, inspected and maintained;
• If using safety harnesses, they have suitable anchorages and adequate fall distances and are inspected; and
• All work at height equipment has been inspected, examined and maintained as necessary.

In addition, inspectors will look to ensure that only competent contractors are used for work at height and that all jobs have been properly planned and thought through.

The HSE national inspection blitz is part of 'Don't Fall For It', a European Union campaign on falls from height in construction. The European Commission's Senior Labour Inspectors' Committee (SLIC) has agreed to undertake this campaign on falls from height risks in the construction industry in 2003. The campaign features two inspection initiatives, the first in June and then in September. All member states will be participating in the campaign.

Notes to editors

1. Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of death, disability and injury in construction, accounting for 37 fatalities (which is 47% of all fatalities) and 1425 major injuries (which is 30% of all major injuries) in 2001/2. Across all industries, falls from height accounted for 74 deaths and 5,286 major injuries in 2001/2.

2. Falls from height, transport and welfare issues are construction priorities that form part of the Revitalising Health and Safety Campaign. Revitalising Health and Safety, published in June 2000, is a Government and Health and Safety Commission (HSC) initiative that sets targets for the nation to reduce work-related deaths, ill health and injury in Great Britain. More details about Revitalising Health and Safety can be found on the HSE website on http://www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/index.htm

3. The construction industry has committed to a step change in performance. This was demonstrated through setting challenging Revitalising targets and adopting action plans at the Construction Safety Summit, which took place on 27 February 2001. The construction industry set the following Revitalising targets for improvement. To reduce:

• the incidence rate of fatalities and major injuries by 40 per cent by 2004/5 and 66 per cent by 2009/10;
• the incidence rate of cases of work-related ill health by 20 per cent by 2004/5 and 50 per cent by 2009/10; and
• the number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health by 20 per cent by 2004/5 and by 50 per cent by 2009/10.

Press enquiries

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