Edge protection is a common sight on industrial premises – although there are still many more industrial structures that could benefit from having it installed. But it is also important on what might seem like low-risk workplaces and public buildings, such as offices and shops, particularly if regular roof access is required for any reason. […]
An incident at a hospital mental health ward has highlighted the importance of guardrails on elevated positions around hospital grounds. Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been fined following the incident at Boston Pilgrim Hospital’s Ward 12, which occurred in March 2013. A 26-year-old man was detained under the Mental Health Act, but despite a […]
The Health & Safety Executive investigated a report of unsafe working conditions by a member of the public – and found builders using an astonishing alternative to safety ladders. When inspectors attended the site in Kingsley, Cheshire, they found a scaffold tower was being used to access a roof in order to carry out construction […]
A lack of walkovers on a fragile roof, combined with the failure to install edge protection, left a pair of brothers lucky to escape more serious injury when they fell 15ft to the ground below. Brynley Perrett sustained the worse injuries in the incident, picking up a compression fracture of the back and sternum, while […]
AKM Fabrications will be at rci 2014 this October, giving you the perfect opportunity to come and discuss edge protection with us in all its forms. From safety barriers to guardrails, man anchors to walkovers, our team will be at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on October 29th-30th (find us at stand J10). We’ll also […]
It’s September, and that means children everywhere are going back to school – but it’s perhaps a time to think less about the risks of taking a conker to the eye, and more about the importance of edge protection. The HSE is urging parents and teachers alike “not to wrap kids in cotton wool”, and […]
The Construction Industry Council has put out a report on some of the latest advances in ‘eco-electricity’, and it seems likely that some of them will drive demand for rooftop walkovers in the years to come. Walkovers serve several purposes, ranging from acting as demarcation systems to prevent foot access to weak parts of the […]
Safety ladders offer several ways to protect their users, from surrounding ‘hoops’ to reduce the risk of falling backwards, to interstitial platforms designed to allow climbers to rest on a secure surface partway up or down. But a further consideration is how much toe clearance is left between the rungs of the ladder and the […]
Edge protection is an essential component in preventing falls from height on many business premises, whether they are commercial, business or industrial. And with falls from height still high on the agenda for the Health & Safety Executive, it is apt that edge protection will remain a cornerstone of protecting employees as the organisation celebrates […]
A persistent refusal to install edge protection at a poultry farm ended with five people going to court to face prosecution by the Health & Safety Executive. In an example of ‘prevention is better than cure’, the HSE took action against a Lincolnshire poultry firm and four contractors, even though no injuries were sustained by […]
Edge protection is one of the technologies helping to ensure the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games reach their finale without any major health and safety incidents. The Health & Safety Executive has been working with the organisers of the Games from the very beginning, supervising and advising on the construction of the venues and facilities, including […]
The roof rails at Roofing House, headquarters of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, may be needed this week to protect telecommunication engineers as they restore the organisation’s telephone lines. A statement by the NFRC on July 24th revealed that their landline numbers were not working, adding: “We are currently experiencing a fault with our […]
Edge protection is often mentioned alongside stern warnings about the dangers of working at height – which is still one of the main causes of workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities. So it is good to see statistics that demonstrate how edge protection, as part of workplaces’ overall commitment to health and safety, is helping the […]
Safety measures such as installing walkovers to provide safe passage over weak roofs, or guardrails to prevent access to them entirely, have been deemed simple but vital by an HSE spokesperson. HSE inspector Paul Hoskins made the assertion following the conclusion of an investigation into how a young Dagenham man came to fall four metres […]
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 […]
Safety ladders can provide a more secure means of reaching an elevated position, without the risks that are attached to a free-standing ladder; however, during construction projects, installations, maintenance work and cleaning tasks, it might be difficult to be certain of whether they are needed. A suitable risk assessment can reveal the truth, and if […]
Safety ladders, walkovers, and safety barriers used as a form of edge protection can all help to reduce the risk of an injury, but it is also important to ensure staff are properly trained in how to use them or how to work near them. The British Safety Council says young workers are 50% more […]
A man anchor demonstration is among the newest additions to the itinerary for the Safety & Health Expo 2014, which starts at ExCel London on June 17th. This year is the first time the event has been held in London – an indication of its growing importance across a broad range of industries, according to […]
We are looking for a skilled sheet metal worker / fabricator. The applicant must be experienced and able to work unsupervised from drawings as well as being familiar with various type of cutting and folding equipment. MIG and TIG welding experience also required. The applicant must be reliable and a good timekeeper. Fork Lift Truck […]
A failure to erect guardrails or use man anchors when working on a five-storey, ten-metre-high scaffold tower has led to one firm being accused of putting the public at risk. Spectators of the work being carried out in Covent Garden were so concerned that they took photographs of workers sat on the unprotected edge of […]
The concept of a non-fragile roof might make walkovers seem unnecessary, particularly on a roof that has been given an A-rating. But an article circulated in the trade press by Chris Pearce, a founder member of the Advisory Committee for Roofsafety, explains why even a good rating does not mean a roof is totally safe. […]
It is easy to think of edge protection as being there purely for when repair work is being carried out to a leaky roof, but the recent NFRC Roofing Awards 2014 highlighted the wide range of different reasons why work might be carried out on a rooftop. The ninth annual awards ceremony was held in […]
The construction industry is growing again, and while that is good news for the economy, it may heighten the importance of man anchors and guardrails, not only to keep work on schedule, but also to protect those who are new to the workforce and may be less experienced in safety matters. According to the Construction […]
We are looking for a skilled sheet metal worker / fabricator. The applicant must be experienced and able to work unsupervised from drawings as well as being familiar with various type of cutting and folding equipment. MIG and TIG welding experience also required. The applicant must be reliable and a good timekeeper. Fork Lift Truck […]
Stronger walkovers fitted with guardrails could have prevented a fall through a church roof that left one man with a badly broken pelvis, the Health & Safety Executive reports. Southampton father-of-three Allen Smith was working on repairing a hole in the roof of Anerley Methodist Church in Penge, south-east London, in October 2011. He was […]