26-02-2008
HSE emphasises safety compliance for work at height
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Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to employers in relation to work conducted at height.
The organisation has announced its concerns following the injury of an employee in 2005, caused by a fall of around 2.2 metres. HSE data shows that over the course of 2007, a total of 45 employees died as a result of falls from height. As a consequence of this incident, two businesses in Hackney and Hertfordshire have been prosecuted.
"Both defendants were aware of the risks from working at height which had been clearly identified at least a month before the incident, but this information had not been supplied to [the victim]," said Chris Tilley, an inspector for the HSE.
While one firm was found to have breached Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the other was found to have contravened Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations Act 1974.