Why comply with the work at height regulations?

In place to keep you safe and your business running!

All work at height in the UK is regulated by the Work at Height Regulations 2005, put in place to “prevent death and injury caused by a fall from height”. You can read them here or for a summary read our blog, ‘what are the regulations around working at height’.

Complying is important to you and your business, and here’s why.

Keep you safe

Everyone has a right to be safe while at work, and failure to comply with the regulations is failing to ensure just that; it puts everyone at risk. And it’s not only you and your employees, anyone passing by is at risk of harm if something goes wrong. Following the guidelines won’t stop every accident but it will reduce the chance of them occurring.

Prevent costly damage

Accidents don’t just hurt people; they cause expensive damage to equipment, buildings, and general surroundings as well. Staying safe and working to the work at height regulations limits the likelihood of problems and stops you from spending your hard-earned profits on fixing breakages. It will also keep you from suffering delays and downtime because of out-of-action equipment.

Avoid hefty fines

Whether an accident occurs or not, if you breach regulations, you’re liable to substantial fines. They will massively cut into your profits and are publically available. You can see a whole list of examples on the HSE website.

Maintain a strong business reputation

Businesses rely on reputations with clients looking to work with reputable companies that focus on people and safety. Having your name in the news for breaching health and safety regulations or because of an accident will likely cost your business in the future, whether through lost clients or through top employees moving on to places they feel valued and safe.

Ensure your workers are happy and healthy

Mindset is important when thinking about employees. It’s no secret that those that feel valued and looked after work harder and are more invested in their work. Failing to adhere to regulations can cost you productivity as employees may rightfully refuse to work in unsafe conditions or if they do, they may not do the job properly or to as higher a standard as you would like. Proper training and thought-out safety procedures increase productivity and ensure fewer mistakes.