News Update from the HSE regarding the latest prosecutions.

A construction company has been fined £300,000 after a worker sustained serious spinal injuries from falling through an open stairwell and landing on concrete flooring.

HSE's investigation found:

• the company had failed to put adequate measures in place to prevent falls from height
• the stairwell opening had not been securely covered and the open edges were not protected

Falls from height remains one of the leading workplace fatalities in the construction industry.

It is the employer's responsibility to -

1 Decide what could harm you in your job and the precautions to stop it. This is
part of risk assessment.
2 In a way you can understand, explain how risks will be controlled and tell you
who is responsible for this.
3 Consult and work with you and your health and safety representatives in
protecting everyone from harm in the workplace.
4 Free of charge, give you the health and safety training you need to do your job.
5 Free of charge, provide you with any equipment and protective clothing you
need, and ensure it is properly looked after.
6 Provide toilets, washing facilities and drinking water.
7 Provide adequate first-aid facilities.
8 Report major injuries and fatalities at work to our Incident Contact Centre on
0345 300 9923. Report other injuries, diseases and dangerous incidents
online at www.hse.gov.uk.
9 Have insurance that covers you in case you get hurt at work or ill through work.
Display a hard copy or electronic copy of the current insurance certificate where
you can easily read it.
10 Work with any other employers or contractors sharing the workplace or
providing employees (such as agency workers), so that everyone’s health and
safety is protected.

For more information on Health and Safety in the workplace, visit the HSE's website at www.hse.gov.uk

For Health and Safety training courses including our E Learning Working at Height course, visit our Health and Safety training page on our website.

To read the HSE's Health and Safety Law Leaflet in its entirety, please click here.