HSE warning over site safety
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies that require their employees to carry out work above ground level to ensure all suitable safety procedures are carried out.
This follows the prosecution of a north-east construction firm after an employee suffered serious injuries and paralysis by falling from a roof.
HSE inspector Keith Partington described the incident as avoidable and warned that working from height continues to be a major problem in the construction industry.
Protective workwear and fall arrest equipment are two vital pieces of equipment for keeping employees safe in these circumstances.
"Work at height should be planned for carefully, with suitable and sufficient instruction and supervision when executed," said Mr Partington.
In 2010-11 there were 20 deaths and nearly 4,000 major injuries caused by falls, the HSE claims.
A recent warning from the organisation noted that work in basements is increasingly dangerous, after one in three projects across four London boroughs failed health and safety spot checks.
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