Posted By Richard Webber
Maintaining the now nationally accepted standard for the implementation of fall prevention (often expressed on site in the form of guardrails, toe boards and working platforms, CHSWR) for all working places at a height of 2m or more seems to me to be desirable.

Working people appreciate yardsticks, and most can understand the absolute requirement for fall protection for such heights. I know that there are still many that don’t appreciate this fact, but safety education, commercial expediency and, unfortunately, natural attrition is steadily reducing their numbers.

I note in the press that another worker was killed as a result of a very low, 2-foot, fall from a ladder. We should be concentrating on the reduction of falls from lesser heights, rather than chewing over a point in law, as we know that two thirds of all reported fall injuries arise as a result of falls from below two metres.

Ladders and stepladders are major hazards on construction sites, and their use must certainly be severely curtailed. But I believe that the existing 2m rule is a useful safety tool that most construction workers understand and is for the general good.

I often hear construction professionals lamenting the lack of prescriptive legislation in our industry whilst they wrestle with the concept of risk assessment. Those that are part of a big company may have the benefit of advice from a full time Safety Advisor. Small construction companies and sub-contractors are often poorly informed and are still striving to comply with the “new requirement” to produce Risk Assessments/Safety Method Statements. I not sure that either group would appreciate the need to remove the tangible yardstick of the 2m rule.

As for the average local builder……….forget it.

Should the nationally accepted 2m rule be maintained whilst vigorously developing work equipment and systems designed to combat risks from low-level work? Or should we risk disturbing the steady improvement that is occurring within the Construction Industry by confusing people because the 'two metre rule' for construction is outside the Directives objectives/intent.


The HSE are interested in your views. Go to

http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/letters/falls.htm

Posted By John C
Richard, sorry for the intrusion into the thread, but you have raised a very topical point for my work. You comment about a death from a 2 foot fall. Can you possibly provide a web link for this information on this fall? Currently dealing with the control of a risk of falling from about 1 and a half metres. Your news article would be a good pointer for me to use.

Cheers.

John.

Posted By Alison Hartland
John - I recently did a presentation on Working at Height and found a case of a worker being fatally injured when he fell from the 2nd rung of a ladder - I have emailed you direct - but for the benefit of others the link is:

www.hse.gov.uk/falls/experience/ladders.htm

Posted By John C
Thanks Richard and thanks Alison for the link, much appreciated.