Professional and innovative scaffold, ladder
and platform experts Lofts and Ladders address the dangers of inadequate
equipment when working at heights
In 2012/13
almost a third of all fatal injuries to workers were caused by falls from
heights, with half of these taking place in construction sites across the UK.
The number of recorded deaths from platforms or ladders in construction
environments was 23 out of a total of 46 incidents. Although not a
significantly huge number, this number of incidents could quite easily have
been different if accident avoidance measures were taken and the equipment was
to a professional standard.
In several
reported incidents, from statistics raised by the HSE, RoSPA and other leading
health and safety bodies, particularly in and around the home; accidents involving
ladders and steps have experienced a rise as more individuals take more of a
direct role in more complex and hazardous DIY jobs. From falls resulting in
general maintenance to home exteriors to poorly fitted loft ladders and the use
of often substandard ladders and steps, there is far less control over the
quality of equipment that is purchased by homeowners when undertaking tasks and
jobs in the home.
Accident
levels are open to experiencing significant increases when higher risk
apparatus is used, such as step ladders and ladders. With cheaper equipment
being purchased for those DIY jobs around the house, a recipe for disaster is
imminent and together with a lack of knowledge, experience and training when
working at heights, evaluating the risk factor is made much clearer.
Devon-based
access and scaffold solutions expert Lofts and Ladders continually react to
industry wide news, studies and reports relevant to areas within their
industry. A company spokesperson believes that overall, poorly maintained
equipment in the workplace and in the home or the use of the wrong equipment
will only lead to accidents and until better education is expressed, numbers of
incidents will continue to rise:
“Health and
Safety has been the pinnacle of our aims since we first began and with the
number of accidents occurring in both domestic and industrial environments due
to the incorrect use of apparatus or when using inferior equipment or which is
not suitable for the job is a concern for us all.
The
spokesperson for Lofts and Ladders continued by saying: “We offer a great array
of products together with the right advice on how to remain safe at heights,
something that we feel needs to be addressed on a larger scale, bringing more
awareness to workers and especially home owners could prove a success in
lowering accident figures.”
Continuing
to provide one of the most respected services to customers across the UK, Lofts
and Ladders are well established with a history spanning several decades. Their
range of access and scaffold solutions can be viewed via their website at http://loftsandladders.co.uk today.