What is the leading cause of deaths in the workplace? Short Answer: falls from height count for more than a quarter of workplace fatalities in Great Britain, making falls the biggest cause of workplace deaths.
According to the latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive, approximately 26% of fatal workplace injuries in Great Britain are the result of a fall from height. Between 2013 and 2018, more workers died from a fall than died from:
Falls from height also accounted for around 8% of non-lethal accidents in British workplaces during the same period.
The above statistics have prompted calls for more stringent safety laws, but it's worth noting that The Work at Height Regulations 2005 already require work at height to be properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner by competent personnel only.
Read More: What Height Safety Equipment is Legally Required?
Perhaps the real problem is that too many employers don't take the existing regulations seriously until an accident has already happened. If you and/or your employees work at potentially dangerous heights, you may require one or more of the following systems to keep them safe:
Here at SafetyLiftinGear.com, we specialise in high-quality height safety equipment that protects workers from potentially deadly falls. Contact us today to get a quote for your fall protection needs, or use the links below to browse our full range of height safety products.
Height Safety Equipment > Fall Protection Hire >
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In the construction and other industrial industries, employees might be asked to work in confined spaces from time to time. A confined space is defined as "any space that hinders the normal activities of a person who is entering, working in or leaving through it." Before you start working in a confined space, it is important that you categorise the potential hazards so that you can choose the right confined space equipment to keep you safe.
At SafetyLiftinGear we offer a range of high-quality confined space equipment to keep you safe, no matter what confined space hazard you may face. If the confined space hazard you’re facing falls into one of the following categories, we can help keep you safe!
If you’ll be working in an atmosphere that’s potentially hazardous, we offer a range of Gas Detectors and Breathing Apparatus to protect you and your colleagues:
Our Gas Detectors can detect up to four different gases (H2S, CO, O2, LEL) through the push of a single button, alerting you if the atmosphere you are working in becomes potentially hazardous.
View Gas Detectors >
In emergencies, our Confined Space Breathing Apparatus can be worn to provide the user with a continuous supply of clean, breathable air. Buy or hire this equipment depending on how often you think it will be required.
Buy or Hire Breathing Apparatus >
If you are working in a space where you or a colleague could fall, or become trapped, we offer a variety of different tools and equipment that can be used for emergency recovery:
Or for a complete rescue package, choose one of our Confined Space Rescue Kits.
The confined space rescue kits we offer include everything you need to recover an entrapped person safely, including:
And a handy tripod storage bag to keep the kit secure until (touch wood) you need to use it. Our Confined Space Rescue Kits all come with an impressive 12-month warranty, so you know can purchase them with absolute confidence.
View all Confined Space Rescue Kits here >
If you have any questions regarding our Confined Space Equipment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by phone by calling 0117 9381 600 or by emailing sales@safetyliftingear.com. We are always happy to help!
You're probably aware that a startling number of workplace and home injuries occur every single year as a result of working from heights without proper safety equipment. But did you know that nearly half of all fatal workplace falls involve ladders? A statistic like this really shows how dangerous using a ladder can be when proper safety procedures and processes aren't followed or supplementary safety equipment is ignored. Well, here at SafetyLiftinGear, we aim to help prevent or at least minimise the number of fatal accidents as much as we can with our range of Height Safety Equipment.
One category within our Height Safety Equipment offers a perfect solution to anyone looking to add that little bit more protection whilst working with ladders. Our Ladder Safety Kits provide workers and individuals with a number of ladder safety accessories that not only increase the safety of anyone using a ladder but anyone else in the surrounding area. Our Ladder Safety Kits are available in 2 different levels, offering varied products. Take a look below to find out what ladder safety accessories are available within each of our kits!
Our Level 1 Kit includes the following ladder safety accessories:
- P35 2-Point Harness
- Anchor Attachment
- Re-usable Ladder Restraint Tie
- 6mtr Endless Lashing
- PVC Kit Bag
View Level 1 Kit >
Our Level 2 Kit includes the following ladder safety accessories:
- Rope & Grab
- Webbing Anchor
- 2x Screw Lock Karabiners
View Level 2 Kit >
For more information on our collection of ladder safety accessories or for assistance purchasing one of our Ladder Safety Kits, please do not hesitate to contact a member of customer service team today - we'd be happy to help!
Popular energy company EDF and power and technology experts Doosan Babcock Ltd both face fines of £200,000 and £150,000 respectively after a Doosan Babcock employee accidentally fell through a skylight at the power station, Hinkley Point B, leaving him with serious and life-changing injuries.
The Doosan Babcock employee was working at height when he accidentally fell 1.6 metres through a skylight before hitting a cabinet and falling a further 2 metres, gaining substantial injuries including three cracked vertebrae before hitting the floor.
EDF energy was prosecuted by the Office for Nuclear Regulation for offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act of 1974, while Doosan Babcock was prosecuted for offences under the Work at Height Regulations Act of 2005. Both companies both plead guilty to these charges, following the Doosan Babcock employee's fall.
The Deputy Chief Inspector of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, Donald Urquhart said:
The level of financial penalty, in this case, is not a matter on which ONR has a view. As an independent regulator, what matters to me is the safety of workers and the public on and around nuclear-licensed sites, and this prosecution shows we will take robust regulatory action where necessary to ensure that those that we regulate secure and maintain compliance with the law.
“In addition to these legal proceedings, we issued enforceable improvement notices to both EDF and Doosan Babcock, requiring them to put in place appropriate safety measures to ensure that such risks are properly controlled in the future. It is extremely important that lessons are learnt from incidents such as this, and I am pleased to note that both companies have since complied with these notices and have delivered necessary improvements to ensure that such risks are properly controlled."
At SafetyLiftinGear we stock a huge range of Height Safety Equipment that can help prevent accidents and falls from occuring.
We have a selection of different Safety Harnesses that are sturdy and reliable & comfortable to wear. Wearing an appropriate Safety Harness and using a Safety Lanyard, Safety Line or Fall Arrest Block will ensure that you can work at height confidently, knowing that you will be safe at all times.
To see all of our Height Safety Equipment, click the button below:
Height Safety Equipment >
A scaffolding company located in Dorset has been sentenced after a 49-year old worker fell victim to serious, life-changing injuries as a result of falling five metres through a skylight whilst working.
Paul Norris was working for Solar Scaffold Services Limited, who were contacted to erect an access tower and guard rails on the roof perimeter of industrial units in Christchurch during April 2017. On completion of the work on the access tower, Mr Norris proceeded to assist his co-workers with work on the guard rails, gaining access via the roof. As he was doing this, Mr Norris fell through a skylight which was approximately five metres above the floor and suffered a number of serious injuries to his arm, elbow, wrists, ribs and pelvis as a result.
Following the injuries, Mr Norris remained in the hospital for three weeks, undergoing several operations with much physiotherapy still required. This has resulted in him being registered disabled, forced to move into an adapted flat, the inability to return to work and his wife having to give up work in order to provide full-time care.
Following an investigation conducted by the HSE, it was found that the employer Solar Scaffold Services Limited, failed in their duty to provide adequate safety measures, through poor planning, supervision and execution. Insufficient measures were taken to prevent the fall whilst work was carried out on the fragile roof.
This has resulted in Solar Scaffold Services Limited pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and being fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of more than £3,000.
HSE Inspector Caroline Penwill stated after the hearing that "falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities and injuries in this country. This serious incident could have been avoided if the work had been properly planned to reduce risk."
To ensure you are properly protected whilst working at height, take a look at our range of Height Safety Equipment by clicking below - if you have any questions regarding any of our products, then please contact us today!
View Our Height Safety Equipment >
When operating a cherry picker, it’s important that proper safety procedures are in place and that the right safety equipment is selected so that falls and other height related accidents don’t occur.
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Respiratory protective equipment, often referred to as Respiratory PPE is worn when an individual is working in an environment where they are exposed to hazardous substances in the air. Choosing the right Respiratory PPE for a particular working environment, and ensuring employees are using it properly is essential to their safety.
If there is a respiratory hazard in your workplace your employer should:
A half mask respirator covers the nose and mouth of the wearer and is held in place using adjustable straps. As the wearer breathes, air travels through the filters and is cleaned before being inhaled. At SafetyLiftinGear, we supply A1 Cartridges to filter out organic vapour and gases. We also supply the Half Mask Respirator itself, which has been carefully designed to ensure a secure and comfortable fit when worn.
SafetyLiftinGear stocks a range of Dust Masks, including:
Please ensure that you read the details of these products carefully before purchasing to ensure you are choosing the right mask for the job.
Emergency escape breathing apparatus is a self-contained breathing system that incorporates a half mask, a hood, and a cylinder of air that can be used in extreme situations where an individual requires breathable air immediately. For example, in a confined space or during a fire. This equipment should only be used in emergencies – the cylinder will provide oxygen for approximately 10 minutes.
We hope that this makes choosing the right respiratory PPE for your workplace an easier task. If you’d like to look at our entire range of PPE and Workwear, click here.
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