Employers have a responsibility to prevent workplace accidents

The duty holders are required to take a number of steps:

• Avoid working at heights where you can
• Use of available safety equipment or completing the work in a different way to prevent falls when they absolutely must work at height
• If they can’t avoid the risk, they should use equipment to reduce the distance of the fall and its consequences.

The Working At Height Regulations of 2005 requires duty holders to plan and organise their work properly and take into account risk assessments made under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations of 1999. They also demand that everyone involved is trained and competent, and that equipment is inspected. To find out more about PASMA Courses, visit a site like https://globalflt.com/services/pasma-courses/

It is unusual for a regulation to include a specific consideration of the weather. If the weather threatens the safety of persons working at heights, then the work must be delayed. The ongoing requirement to assess risk and ensure the safety of people working at height is evident.

It is important to consider and avoid the obvious risks of fragile surfaces. It is also important to take precautions to avoid items from falling. If this cannot be avoided, it may be necessary to restrict access to the area to stop a person from being hit by an object that is falling.

The duty of employees or workers under the control of someone else is to use safety equipment and report any hazards to their duty holders.