Blackpool's highest window cleaner backs national safety campaign

Date:

25 February 2010

Release No:

HSE/NW/01ShatteredLives

The man who hangs under the glass floor at the top of Blackpool Tower to clean it is backing a national safety campaign.

Dave Hulme uses a harness to carry out maintenance work to the outside of the 158-metre-high tourist attraction, and is giving his support to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Shattered Lives campaign.

HSE Inspector Allen Shute with maintenance project manager Dave Hulme

Slips, trips and falls caused 1,155 serious injuries to workers in Lancashire last year, and are the most common cause of major workplace injury in Great Britain. HSE is urging employers and workers to take simple steps to reduce the risk of being injured.

Dave, who works for Cumbrian engineering company MP Marine, started work at Blackpool Tower in 1983 and now oversees its maintenance. He came face to face with HSE Inspector Allen Shute from the underside of the 'Walk of Faith' glass floor to give his support to the Shattered Lives campaign.

Dave said:

"When they were installing the glass floor just over a decade ago, we had to work out how we'd be able to clean under it safely. I seemed to end up being given the job. I use a harness and then just clean it like you would a window.

"I often get some funny looks when I'm hanging under the floor if people are standing on top of it at the time. I've also been known to get a round of applause when I come back up.

Maintenance supervisor Michael Doherty with Dave Hulme

"People seem to think it's a dangerous job, but working 150 metres above the ground isn't really any more dangerous than working 15 metres above the ground. You just need to make sure you use the right safety equipment.

"I hope HSE's Shattered Lives campaign makes people think more about preventing slips, trips and falls in their workplaces."

Allen Shute added:

"No one would dream of doing a job like Dave's without using the proper safety equipment. But hundreds of workers are injured every year in falls from just a few metres above the ground.

"Hundreds of workers in Lancashire were injured from slips, trips and falls last year. They might sound funny but they shatter the lives of thousands of British workers ever year.

"Making improvements doesn't need to cost the earth and we are encouraging people to visit the Shattered Lives website, where they will be able to get simple and cost-effective solutions to help manage slip, trip and fall hazards in their workplace.

"Dave knows he's safe when he's working more than 150 metres above the ground at the top of Blackpool Tower because he's held securely in a harness. I hope other people working less high up will start thinking more about the risks they face."

As well as the tragic human cost, preventable slips, trips and falls are having a serious financial impact on the UK. HSE estimates that the combined financial costs incurred by society as a whole is around £800 million a year, at a time when both businesses and individuals are struggling financially following the recession.

In response, HSE has launched a new phase of its Shattered Lives campaign, aimed at reducing slips, trips and falls in the workplace. The hard-hitting campaign involves raising awareness of the impact of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and directing people to the new Shattered Lives website at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives for practical advice and guidance.

The campaign is targeted at those sectors where there are a high number of slips, trips and falls each year. Specifically, health and social care, education, food manufacturing, food retail, catering and hospitality, building and plant maintenance, and construction are being targeted.

On the new campaign website, people will be able to find out information on how they can easily, and cost effectively, reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, and see what other organisations, such as Sainsbury's and First Line Digital, have done.

Included on the site are online guides to preventing slips and trips, and working safely at height. Advice ranges from how to deal with spills and other slip risks, to the importance of using ladders correctly to reduce the risk of falling from height.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It works to prevent death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
2. Reportable major injuries include fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes; amputations; dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine; loss of sight (temporary or permanent); chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye; injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness, or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; and unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to harmful substance or biological agent.
3. There were two deaths involving falls in Manchester workplaces during 2008/9 and one in Ellesmere Port and Neston involving a slip or trip. The following table lists the number of serious injuries in each local authority area in the North West during 2008/9. Three day injuries refer to injuries which required workers to take at least three days off work.
   
   

   Local authority	Slips/trips		Falls		Total
   	Major	3 day	Major	3 day
   Cheshire	190	401	88	103	782
   Chester	20	44	14	12	90
   Congleton	12	20	7	3	42
   Crewe & Nantwich	15	45	8	10	78
   Ellesmere Port and Neston	19	31	6	13	69
   Halton	28	69	15	17	129
   Macclesfield	33	54	8	14	109
   Vale Royal	17	46	7	12	82
   Warrington	46	92	23	22	183
   Cumbria	86	222	48	72	428
   Allerdale	11	40	8	11	70
   Barrow-in-Furness	9	26	9	12	56
   Carlisle	22	63	9	20	114
   Copeland	11	27	7	4	49
   Eden	14	27	4	13	58
   South Lakeland	19	39	11	12	81
   Greater Manchester	443	1125	194	327	2089
   Bolton	33	115	17	34	199
   Bury	20	50	16	16	102
   Manchester	111	288	57	107	563
   Oldham	26	109	10	28	173
   Rochdale	40	87	12	22	161
   Salford	40	96	15	32	183
   Stockport	49	83	18	17	167
   Tameside	27	87	14	22	150
   Trafford	36	100	15	26	177
   Wigan	61	110	20	23	214
   Lancashire	274	582	110	189	1155
   Blackburn	35	67	10	26	138
   Blackpool	20	58	5	20	103
   Burnley	12	43	7	14	76
   Chorley	12	37	6	8	63
   Fylde	10	15	6	12	43
   Hyndburn	10	33	5	9	57
   Lancaster	30	59	11	18	118
   Pendle	20	30	8	9	67
   Preston	40	65	13	34	152
   Ribble Valley	13	18	2	5	38
   Rossendale	11	17	6	4	38
   South Ribble	19	44	11	9	83
   West Lancashire	21	69	9	11	110
   Wyre	21	27	11	10	69
   Merseyside	206	617	112	174	1109
   Knowsley	25	79	8	27	139
   Liverpool	72	267	45	69	453
   St Helens	23	67	15	20	125
   Sefton	38	91	15	24	168
   Wirral	48	113	29	34	224
   North West	1199	2947	552	865	5563

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