The working height can be dangerous if safety precautions are not taken. You should know that even a drop of a few inches can cause serious injury. Work requiring the use of ladders or scaffolding must be studied in order to eliminate as much risk to workers.

Falls due to working at height account for nearly 500,000 accidents in Europe. 40,000 cause disability leading to permanent work disability -- which 1,000 are fatal . The construction sector is particularly affected by a higher than in other areas of activity of serious or fatal accident rate.

Here are 10 tips to apply in your company:

  1. Identify all work at height done in your business.
  2. Make an assessment of all risks that may include:
    • Workers at height.
    • People working on the ground and may be affected by a falling object.
  3. Eliminate work at height where possible.
  4. When this is not possible, a full assessment of work at height riskier.
  5. Discuss control measures to be taken in consultation with various officials / employees involved in work at height.
  6. Apply these control measures.
  7. Write protocols and make available checklists to ensure that these are enforced.
  8. Keep these checklists.
  9. Periodically re-evaluate the risks, particularly in the case of a change of personnel or if an accident occurred.
  10. To inform everyone involved in your business rules in place for the prevention of work-related accidents in height.

In addition to raising awareness about the risks, the employer has an obligation to train staff involved in falls from heights. In order to better protect the employees, the employer may invest in appropriate equipment and insist on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) . Of fall protection kits including safety harnesses , carabiners and retractors may be used, thus ensuring a significant reduction in risk.