We all want a future free from falls – so let’s get behind No Falls Week

Between 2022 and 2023, 40 workers lost their lives falling while working at height, making this the leading cause of UK workplace deaths that year. Worryingly, this was 11 deaths more than the previous year and 5 deaths above the 5-year average, so it’s clear that action is needed if we want a future free from falls.

The picture becomes bleaker still when we review non-fatal injury data, which documents 5,118 worker injuries linked to falling from a height in the workplace.  Each of these injuries and each of these fatalities represents a person impacted by workplace falls, something we risk losing sight of when lost amongst the data.

Each accident and every fatality tell a story, one that impacts not only individual workers but also their colleagues, family, and friends. That’s why No Falls Week (May 13-17) led by the No Falls Foundation provides an ideal opportunity for employers and employees to focus on education, training, and prevention, making workplaces and workers safer. From reviewing risk assessments to providing refresher training, No Falls Week is the perfect opportunity to share best practice, bust myths, and above all, save lives.

So, what can employers do to make their workplaces safer for those working at heights?

• Understanding the risks that exist when working at heights is a cornerstone of effective preventative action – reaffirming the adage that prevention is better than a cure and remove the risk where possible using new technologies.
• If it not possible to eliminate then manage through an effective risk assessment. This should be routinely reviewed to ensure that they respond to the risks faced by those working at heights, through the introduction of a series of control measures (from fall restraint kits and harnesses to safety fencing and guide rails).
• We know that practical, real-world experience makes risk assessments stronger and more effective, making the opportunity provided by No Falls Week, to kick-start conversations, an invaluable opportunity to put worker safety front and centre.

• Hand-in-glove, risk assessments and workplace training are key to effective risk reduction. Reviewing the training offering, regularity, and effectiveness are essential in responding to the risks of working at height.
• Training should look to be specific to the challenges faced by those working at height, incorporating real-world learning underpinned by up-to-date theory.
• Clearly, working at height is a broad term, covering myriad roles and spanning sectors and perhaps this does workers somewhat of a disservice. There are, of course, areas of overlap between those working on cranes and skyscrapers (extreme heights) and their colleagues working on low-rise buildings, using ladders and stepladders or cherry pickers.
•  Recognising the differences that exist between these groups and responding accordingly to the level of risk (underpinned by the understanding that risk increases exponentially the higher someone is working) is essential to a fall-free future.

The recent, growing trend in fatal workplace falls could risk people forming a defeatist view of the future, made even harder by the changes and challenges it will, inevitably, hold.

While it’s good to practice caution, and be cognisant that this trend could continue, putting another generation of workers at risk, there is also plenty of room for optimism about the future’s potential and its promise of progress.

We’ve seen examples of new and developing technologies that offer the opportunity to make a fall-free future a reality.

We know that technology, invariably, shapes how we work, and working at heights is no exception. We’re already seeing examples of technology making workplaces safer by reducing (or removing) human involvement in working at height, offering, perhaps for the first time in history, the ability to remove human error altogether.

The use of drones and autobots to undertake tasks that previously relied on people is now becoming a regular sight in the workplace. Assessing problems on high roofs or in tight confined spaces using drones has now become common practice and should be the first thing considered before sending employees or contractors into harm's way.

Regularly we see bots in the workplace cleaning floors, windows and hard to reach spots, again proving that there are workable solutions to drastically reduce the risk posed to those who have no choice than to work at height.

There will continue to be advancements however in the here - and - now and it remains essential that employers are aware of the risks posed by working at heights and that measures are put in place to protect those people still working at height.