Working at Heights Courses: Don’t Wait For An Accident To Occur!

Posted on 9th Apr, 2014 | By Lorretta Tatham

As a West London roofing company is prosecuted for unsafe procedures while working at heights, Browns Ladders is reminding companies that lucky escapes aren’t good enough.

Ranjit Roofing Company Ltd, based in Ealing and managed by director Ranjit Singh, of Hounslow, was fined last month after a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officer witnessed staff working on the roof of a house with no safety measures to prevent them from falling.

Unsecured working at heights: a risk to staff and others

During the court hearing, a representative from the HSE said that a complaint had been received regarding three employees working unsecured on the roof of a property in the roof Kingsbury, Brent.

Upon arriving at the property, an inspector witnessed the three staff members still on the roof, working without adequate safety measures such as harnesses or scaffolding, which would have protected them in the event of a fall.

Materials located on the roof were also left unsecured, posing a serious risk to workers and members of the public below. The roofing firm was served with an immediate prohibition notice that prevented any further work at height on the property until such time that sufficient safety measures had been implemented.

Ranjit Roofing Company was fined £5,000 with £4,137 costs after admitting breaching the Work at Height Regulations, while the company’s director, Ranjit Singh, was given a two year conditional discharge. He was also ordered to pay full costs of £1,957 in his capacity as the company’s director.

Working at Height: A Case of No Harm, No Foul?

Unsafe working at height is a major cause of accidents in industry; trips, spills and falls that might ordinarily be of little consequence on the ground take on a far more serious nature when they occur at height, and the results can be fatal.

So while luckily no one was hurt in the incident at Ranjit Roofing Company, which occurred in July 2012, unsecured working at height is still a very serious matter.

HSE Inspector Jack Wilby commented on the case, saying:

“The consequences of a fall from height are likely to be life-changing. That is why HSE will not hesitate to take action against companies that fall so lamentably below standards when it comes to protecting their staff.

“This is the second prosecution of a roofing company from this part of London for similar safety failings in just a few months. The fact that there was no incident in this case is immaterial – the danger was there and someone could have been injured, or even killed, at any time.

“The safety standards required to protect workers against falls from height are readily accessible on HSE’s website.”

Working At Heights Training Courses: a vital investment

Working at height courses are not an optional extra when it comes to keeping your workers safe. Here at Browns Ladders, we offer a range of half-day working at height courses that can be combined to meet your company’s individual needs.

Our specialist working at heights training course can be paired with, for example, our Ladders and Steps training course, or our Manual Handling Course, offering your staff an elevated level of safety when it comes to staying secure on site.

With our courses taking just four hours each, protecting your staff is simple. Browns Ladders’ working at heights courses comprise a simple, informative lecture, at the end of which your staff will receive a certificate that’s valid for three years and confirms that they have received training in safe work at heights.

Contact us today to discuss your company’s individual needs – call 0845 130 9225 or you can use the handy instant chat function below.

How do you protect your staff when working at height? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @BrownsLadders