Work at Heights Regulations: The importance of understanding and obeying legislation

The owner and developer of a construction site in Raynes Park, London, has been fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay a further £1,200 in costs after pleading guilty to breaches of Work at Heights legislation.

The dangerous work took place on and around the roof of a three-storey building, with no measures in place to prevent or mitigate a fall. It was spotted by a safety officer who was sat in a carriage of a train that was passing by. Despite issuing a Prohibition Notice to prevent any further work at a height until adequate safety measures were put in place, the safety officer witnessed exactly the same activity taking place, by the same company, weeks later.

The need to take responsibility

Don’t put your company or your employees at risk

• Working at Height Regulations 2005
• Health and Safety law and legislation
• An overview of risk assessment relating to safe working at heights – such as planning and organising work of this kind, and how to identify hazards and accident causation
• Safety equipment required for working at heights

So whether you’re the principal contractor, manager of a site, employee or self-employed, it’s really important to enrol on working at heights courses – to keep on top of the law, and act in a safe, lawful manner.

To explore our range of courses, visit our Safety Training page, or call the team at Browns Ladders today. Have you witnessed unsafe work from a height? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @BrownsLadders