Staying Safe at Work: The Bryson Guide to Work at Height

The State of Height Safety Today

The statistics shared above make for some serious reading. And, despite these sobering facts, these figures have been consistent over recent years with little sign of improvement.

Before we get into the details, let’s take a quick look at what ‘working at height’ actually entails. You don’t need to be working on a crane or the rooftop of a skyscraper to qualify as a worker at height. Out of 150 falls from height investigated by the HSE  over three years, these are some of the most common places where workers fell:

• Ladders: 40%
• Vehicles/FLTs: 17%
• Machinery/plant: 10%
• Platforms: 10%
• Stairs (see below): 8%
• Roof/false ceiling: 7%
• Scaffold/gantry: 4%
• Warehouse racking: 4%

For key decision-makers on construction sites, it is critical to be aware of what qualifies as working at height. Always remember - even falls from heights of 2 metres can be fatal. Protecting workers at height is mandated under the UK’s Work at Height Regulations 2005, which we’ll be looking at in more detail in the next section.

Working at Height: Understanding Your Obligations

Work at Height Regulations 2005 outlines all of the rules you must comply with to ensure the safety of all individuals working on your worksite. Aside from providing protection from hazards such as falls from height, it also stipulates rules around electrocution, hazardous materials exposure and more.

What Employers Should Do

So - what actions are you required to take to avoid non-compliance - with consequences ranging from hefty fines to imprisonment? Let’s take a closer look at the law:

• As an employer, you are mandated to conduct height assessments of any height-related work, ensuring it is properly controlled;
• Employers must ensure all workers are provided with suitable information and training to ensure they know how to work safely at height;
• You must ensure that all height-related work is properly planned and organised, with sufficient measures taken to prevent falls before work starts;
• Your worksite must be equipped with sufficient protective measures, such as guardrails, handrails, safety nets or scaffolding to ensure safety for workers at height; and
• Employers must provide suitable, properly maintained and regularly inspected work at height equipment.

What Employees Should Do

It’s important to remember that employers aren’t the only people who must meet legal rules around working at height. This also extends to contractors and other workers, who must meet the following requirements:

• Follow all training that has been given to them
• Workers must conduct pre-use checks before using any access equipment
• It is essential to use personal protective equipment such as helmets and harnesses
• Workers must report anything that they believe to be unsafe.
• Employers must provide suitable, properly maintained and regularly inspected work at height equipment.

Here at Bryson, we’re passionate in our belief that meeting these rules is about far more than just staying compliant. It’s about protecting those who do the most important work in our society, giving them the right to come home safe and sound to their families. It’s about protecting lives and taking a stand against the real human consequences of avoidable accidents.

Protecting Lives: How Bryson Can Help

Now that you understand the obligations you face as an employer or a contractor, it is essential to know exactly how you can protect workers at height by relying on the right level of expertise combined with properly specified equipment. To start, we recommend consulting with site setup and worksite safety experts before making any important decisions.

That’s where our services at Bryson come in. Whilst our expert team are on hand to provide all of the consultative information you need, our Site-Set Up Service will ensure that the right safety equipment is specified and installed, without delay or disruption and with all your sustainability goals in mind. Regardless of your unique worksite requirements, our Managed Service makes protecting workers easier than ever.

Height Safety: Essential Products from Bryson

If you’ve already consulted with a worksite safety expert and know what you need, we provide a range of solutions to protect workers at height. Here’s a checklist of some of our height safety essentials, ranging from Site Set-up and Safety products to PPE and Workwear, Temporary Protection, Safety Signs and more:

• Barrier Netting: Debris netting is a key component of any scaffolding setup and acts as a safety barrier. It captures falling tools, materials, and debris, preventing them from injuring workers or pedestrians below. This is especially important on multi-story construction sites where falling objects pose a significant risk. For similar safety benefits, take a look at our Debris Netting Roll.

• Safety Ladders: Our range of fully-certified ladders - including our popular Triple Extension Ladder - is constructed using lightweight aluminium and features anti-slip rubber feet for enhanced safety.

• Stair Tread Protector: This cost-effective solution for stairs is flame-retardant twin-walled, corrugated & waterproof material s manufactured from polypropylene for impact protection and Anti-Slip tape to help reduce the risk of trips and falls on stairways. 

• Anchor points: Workers at height aren’t the only people at risk - the people on levels below them also face major hazards as a result of falling tools. Anchor points provide a strong preventative measure here, with our Belt Loop Anchors and Safety Tool Belts mitigating those risks.

• Tool tethering: Falling parts, tolls and debris are a major risk as a result of work at height. Products such as the  NLG Drop Net features a double layered mesh and vinyl edging to prevent such accidents. Meanwhile, the NLG SpaceNet 2.0 is a strong catch net which can withstand sharp, heavy materials and tools in a drop situation. This product has been tested and load rated to 20kg which is a reassuring safety net when working at height.

• Safety Signs: Where workers are working near edges - or on any elevated areas, for that matter - they must be made aware of that fact through appropriate signage. Fortunately, Bryson provides a full range of Safety Signs, including Mandatory Safety Signs - to make workers fully aware of the dangers they face.

The products we’ve listed above are just a snapshot of the safety solutions we provide, and our selection doesn’t end there. Simply reach out to an expert at Bryson to ensure a suite of height safety solutions that are tailored to your worksite and its unique requirements