MPs have called for a more robust system of reporting workplace falls overseen by a new independent body and tough financial penalties for safety breaches.
The calls came as the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Working at Height, led by Alison Thewliss MP, reported its findings.
Launching the inquiry’s report, Alison Thewliss MP highlighted the fact that there are more than 10 million people in the UK whose jobs involve an element of work at height.
Among the recommended steps in the report to curb falls from height in the workplace were improvements to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) system to better capture data specifically on falls from height, to create a true picture of the number of falls that occur and the reasons behind them.
The report also advocated the creation of an independent body to oversee the reporting of falls, better sharing of data between and across government and industry, an extension of the Working Well Together – Working Well at Height safety awareness campaign, and tax breaks for SMEs to allow them to invest in safety technology.
An equivalent to Scotland’s Fatal Accident Inquiry system should be rolled out across the UK, the report also recommends, and a widespread “review of working at height culture” should consider what other steps might be introduced, including the possibility of legally binding financial penalties for health & safety breaches, with the funds ring-fenced to pay for safety awareness campaigns and other related initiatives to curb falls.
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) contributed to the UK-wide consultation into safe working at height.
Commenting on the findings, IPAF UK market general manager Richard Whiting said: “The recommendations flag up many issues, such as the onerous requirements of RIDDOR, which can make reporting falls from height unnecessarily burdensome; this in turn means many falls and near misses simply are not recorded. Better sharing of data will allow organisations to understand the most common causes of falls from height.
“We also welcome the commitment to boost investment in safety campaigns to remind those organising work at height to plan properly, carry out risk assessments and to deploy trained, experienced operators using appropriate powered access equipment.”
