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A plant hire company has been hit with penalties in excess of £66,000 for providing substandard welfare facilities and putting workers at risk of falls from height. During roof construction, employees were made to carry out cladding activities on an unguarded edge, placing them in danger of a 30ft fall.
An HSE investigation revealed workers were left unsupervised by site management and had no method statement to follow when accessing the roof or safety controls to prevent a fall from height. HSE findings also showed minimum required welfare provision – including handwashing facilities at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic – were unavailable on site.
Preventing falls across your builders merchant
Work at height accounted for 25% of all fatal injuries recorded in the UK during 2019/20. There were also 55,440 non-fatal falls in the same period.
Your primary focus should be on eliminating the need to work from height. If work at height is unavoidable, ensure your team is equipped with stable, purpose-built equipment. Your risk assessment should also make sure your employees:
- can get safely to and from where they work at height
- are not overloaded or overreaching when working at height
- are protected from falling objects
- take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces
- are trained on equipment use and safe working practices
Last updated
January 4, 2023
Opus Safety
Health & safety insights
Guidance, updates and practical advice for your sector.
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Why businesses choose
Opus Safety
We've worked across UK industry for years. The numbers show what our clients achieve when compliance becomes a strength, not a burden.
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