Edge protection should be a priority for employers in any situation where employees are asked to work at height, the Health & Safety Executive has reaffirmed.
HSE inspector Rob Hassell reiterated the risks of working at height following a ruling against a Northampton logistics firm for a fall injury that left one man unable to work for three months.
In this instance the fall was not from a rooftop, but from the edge of a ramp that was being used to unload trailers.
The 49-year-old agency worker fell 1.5m, and broke his thigh bone in the process – yet two other ramps used by the same company had additional edge protection in place, which would have prevented the incident.
His agency-worker status is also an important reminder that, particularly in relatively low-skilled manual handling jobs, not all employees may have substantial prior experience of working in such conditions, and be aware of all the risks.
Mr Hassell said: “Employers should identify where additional edge protection should be provided to safeguard their employees and other workers and then take the necessary action.
“Falls from height remain one of the biggest factors in fatalities and serious injuries to workers throughout the country.”