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Falls from height - the UK's new Work at Height regulations have focused world attention on workplace injuries resulting from falls...

The UK government introduced new Work at Height legislation in April 2005 in an attempt to tackle the problem of falls from height, which account for nearly 15% of all workplace accidents in Britain and are the biggest cause of fatal injuries.

The new UK regulations place duties on employers to ensure that:

• all work at height is properly planned and organised
• those involved in work at height are competent
• the risks are assessed and appropriate work equipment is used
• the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled
• and equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained.

To support the new legislation, the British Standards Institute has published a new Standard: BS 8437:2005 and Code of practice for the selection, use and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace.

Since the new rules came into force, UK safety equipment suppliers have seen a marked rise in the number of enquiries.

"We've had a surge of people ringing us up in a panic since the legislation came in," says Alec Keeler of Loadtec Engineered Systems Ltd, the European distributor for US bulk loading and fall prevention specialist, Carbis. "The risk of falling from tanker tops is a subject of increasing concern."

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