CIOB supports new 'Work at Height' regulations

The new 'Work at Height Regulations 2005 which came into force on 6 April 2005, apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

The new 'Work at Height Regulations 2005 which came into force on 6 April 2005, apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

In 2003/2004 falls from height accounted for 68 fatal accidents at work and nearly 4,000 major injuries.

They remain the single biggest cause of construction workplace deaths and one of the biggest causes of major injury.

All work at height will be covered by the regulations where there is a risk of a fall which could cause injury.

They place duties on employers, the self-employed, and any person that controls the work, including facilities managers or building owners.

Chris Blythe CIOB chief executive said, "The CIOB welcomes this regulation and the Question and Answer brief demonstrates the HSE's commitment to effectively communicate this legislation to the entire industry.

It is the result of gross negligence that so many of our workforce have already had to suffer at the expense of bad working practices.

Those in breach of this new regulation should face criminal liability." Commenting on the new regulations Kevin Myers, HSE's Chief Inspector of Construction said, ''Preventing falls from height is a key area where the construction industry can take steps to drive down the number of accidents.

The regulations give the industry an opportunity to refocus efforts to improve standards for work at height and reduce deaths and injuries.

"A particular area of concern for HSE is the number of major injuries caused by low falls - it's worth pointing out that there are more major injuries resulting from low falls than from falls above two metres.

The new regulations remove the old division between low and high falls; the 'two-metre rule' for high falls has not been retained because duty holders need to prevent falls from any height.

HSE inspectors will ensure that the existing standards are maintained but that greater attention is also paid to the risk from low falls.'' To assist the construction industry the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a Question and Answer Brief to explain what the new regulations mean in practice and the standards HSE expects the industry to meet.

It is available on the HSE website.

The HSE's Question and Answer Brief is free and can be downloaded at http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/pdf/fallsqa.pdf.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (S.I.2005 No 735) are accessible via the HMSO website at http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050735.htm.

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