Training Revealed İmportant To Reduce Work At Height Risks

The majority of work-related accidents at height are a result of inadequately trained workers, revealed Research by the Health & Safety Executive. Specialist fall protection company Eurosafe Solutions is therefore advising property and facilities managers to invest in appropriate training for staff and contractors to ensure they achieve the level of competency to be able to minimise risks to themselves and their colleagues.

Andy Jennings, Health & Safety Training Manager at Eurosafe Solutions, said: “Workers who have not received sufficient training, or indeed, have not been trained at all, have been found to be the weakest link in cases of accidents at height. A building can have the best safety systems available, but if workers are not trained to use them correctly it could result in serious issues.”

Eurosafe Solutions offers a comprehensive range of training courses including RIBA-approved CPD seminars, design seminars for construction managers, end user training, height safety training and Personal Protective Equipment inspection. These training courses are specifically designed to ensure that the end user is fully aware and prepared to deal with the hazards and demands of working at height.

Andrew Jennings continues: “If all workers were trained correctly then there is no doubt this would reduce the number of injuries caused at work at height. Part of the training includes making sure that workers are aware of how to avoid falling and how to minimise injuries if a fall occurs. It also looks at what action should be taken in the event of a colleague falling.

He adds: “One of the other issues is that staff are sometimes trained and then don’t use the equipment for some time, which means refresher training is vital.



“If workers are not using the equipment regularly that knowledge could be lost, so we recommend an annual training review to ensure that staff involved with work at heights are still fully competent in carrying out the work efficiently and safely.”

Eurosafe Solutions’ training covers the correct method of fitting harnesses, as this is one of the common causes of accidents at height, which can result in a fatality. An essential part of the training also makes workers aware that all relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needs to be checked to make sure it is within date and has not become obsolete. By working with a specialist in work at heights, this should provide much greater peace of mind, ensuring the duty holder is taking the appropriate level of care in protecting workers and resulting in far fewer accidents.



Eurosafe Solutions has built its reputation by going beyond the ‘sample’ testing approach by physically testing every system to apply a specified load for a number of minutes to each end component for every system. This is part of providing total confidence to customers and a greater degree of safety for those working at heights. Following the inspection, Eurosafe Solutions produces a detailed report as to its inspector’s findings and provides up to date system certification.



Eurosafe Solutions has over 20 years experience in the installation, testing, inspection and monitoring of fall protection systems. The company has amongst its customers some of the UK’s iconic buildings, including the O2 Arena, The Millennium Stadium, Manchester Evening News Arena, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports and the Emirates Stadium. The company also provides testing and inspection services to schools, commercial and residential buildings and shopping centres across the country.