Working at height is inherently dangerous; that’s why there are specific regulations that address the issue of working at height, and it is important that both employers and employees abide by them. When it comes to equipment, the duty is on your employer to ensure that equipment is provided, where necessary, to prevent you being injured.
So let’s take a look at some of the key regulations about work equipment when working at height is concerned:
(3) Where work is carried out at height, every employer shall take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.
The above is a part of the general regulations that place a duty of care on an employer to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure someone is not injured from working at height.
(4) The measures required by paragraph (3) shall include-
(b) where it is not reasonably practicable for the work to be carried out in accordance with sub-paragraph (a), his providing sufficient work equipment for preventing, so far as is reasonably practicable, a fall occurring.
(5) Where the measures taken under paragraph (4) do not eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, every employer shall-
(a) so far as is reasonably practicable, provide sufficient work equipment to minimise-
(i) the distance and consequences; or
(ii) where it is not reasonably practicable to minimise the distance, the consequences, of a fall
Legislation: www.legislation.gov.uk
The two bits in bold above are quite clear in showing that the employer has an important duty of care when it comes to providing work equipment for work at height. Whether this is harnesses, ropes, helmets, safety boots, and other equipment.
There are further regulations in relation to work equipment that impose a duty on the employer to consider suitability of equipment etc. I won’t go in to those, as the above regulations are clear enough in demonstrating that the duty when it comes to work equipment needed for working at height lies with your employer.
The key thing to know is that, if you are injured due to working at height and work equipment would have either prevented the injury or lessened the severity of the injury, it is likely that you have a claim for compensation to make.
For specialist advice, call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today.
