First Ever No Falls Week Launches

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13 May 2024

The No Falls Foundation, the only UK-based charity for the work at height sector, has launched its first ever “No Falls Week”.

The awareness week aims to get employers talking about the risks of working from height, taking proactive steps to prevent falls, to ensure everyone that works at height comes down safely.

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According to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Working at Height Report “Staying Alive: Preventing Serious Injury and Fatalities while Working at Height”, around ten million people carry out activities at work that involve working at height. Falls from height also remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, with 40 people losing their lives at work due to a fall from height in 2022-2023. 

The No Falls Foundation tells us that there are an even greater number of non-fatal injuries resulting from a fall from height, with over 5,000 people in the UK having been reported injured at work in 2022/23. Non-fatal falls are also notoriously under-reported, especially among the self-employed.

There’s also a huge economic cost involved.  Labour Force Survey figures suggest that up to 992,000 working days were lost through non-fatal falls from height in the UK in 2022/23 alone. The total cost of falls from height last year was estimated to be over £847 million, comprising costs to the employer and the individual, government tax losses and benefit payments.

Hannah Williams, Charity Manager at the No Falls Foundation, said: “Everyone who needs to work at height should be able to work safely and return home unharmed at the end of every shift. Unlike most other types of workplace injuries, the consequences of a fall from height are usually life-changing for the person involved, with many unlikely to return to their previous occupation, as well as having long-term consequences for employers, colleagues and families.”

“Whether you work in construction, manufacturing, agriculture or any other sector, No Falls Week is an opportunity for everyone to shine a spotlight onto the mental, physical, and societal consequences of working at height accidents.”

The No Falls Foundation has several free resources and toolkits to inspire employers to host talks, workshops or safety demonstrations this week.

Picture: a photograph of two people in conversation, both wearing protective hard hats. The background is blurred, but the people appear to be on a construction site. Image Credit: Pexels

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 13 May 2024

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