Ladder falls soar to a massive 60 per cent

Posted on 12th Sep, 2013 | By Lorretta Tatham

According to the Building Safety Group (BSG), the construction industry has witnessed a 60 per cent increase in falls from height on last year.

The figures come from accidents reported to the BSG by more than 20,000 construction workers in the three months to the end of July 2013.

A total of 235 falls were reported with approximately 12% of these accidents caused by falls from height – an increase of 60 per cent on the same period as last year.

Paul Kimpton, BSG Managing Director, said: “Half of all falls from height recorded in the period were from ladders or steps which seemed to be behind the overall spike in incidents.”

The data also finds that:

• Falls from scaffolding accounted for 30 per cent of all falls from height.
• Approximately 25 per cent of workers injured in a fall from height were painters’ hurt in falls from ladders.
• Mr Kimpton also added: “While a number of health and safety areas have improved, the areas that are the most serious and cause the most lasting damage have risen.

“We all have a responsibility to make sure people work safely, not only employers, but everyone on a site has a responsibility to make sure they are working in a way that is in line with good practice and good health and safety guidelines.”

At Browns Safety, we offer on-site ladder inspections that can be carried out at three, four or six monthly intervals.

The inspection of your access equipment can be carried out within your factory site, from general ladders and steps to machine stairways, tower scaffold and work platforms – we can inspect them all!

Your access equipment will be inspected, tagged, coded, dated and registered according to the latest health and safety guidelines.

For any items found to be faulty, we offer a unique repair or replace service with a minimum amount of disruption to your daily activities.

Visit the ladder inspections section for more information.