Workplace Falls From Height

The Health & Safety Executive identified falls from height as the single biggest cause of death and major injury in the workplace. Nearly all these deaths and injuries are preventable!

Working at height is dangerous and there is a specific set of statutory regulations dealing with this type of work - The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended by the Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007). These regulations apply if work involves the risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

Every employer has an overriding duty to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone from falling. They must:

• Avoid work at height where they can;
• Use work equipment or other methods to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height; and
• Where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.

To comply with these obligations every employer must ensure:

• All work at height is properly planned and organised;
• All work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety;
• All employees working at height must be properly trained and competent;
• The place where work at height is done must be safe;
• Equipment for work at height must be appropriately inspected;
• The risks from fragile surfaces must be properly controlled; and
• The risks from falling objects must be properly controlled.

If you have been injured from a fall at height, or by a falling object, you should be able to claim compensation for your injury and all associated financial losses including loss of earnings, private medical treatment, care provided by friends or relatives.

Operating on a "No win - No Fee"* basis Clough and Willis's extensive expertise enables them to recover the compensation awards to which clients are entitled. To arrange your free initial interview please contact Chris Macwilliam, chris.macwilliam@clough-willis.co.uk.

* Dependant on individual circumstances.