Edge protection is often mentioned alongside stern warnings about the dangers of working at height – which is still one of the main causes of workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities.
So it is good to see statistics that demonstrate how edge protection, as part of workplaces’ overall commitment to health and safety, is helping the UK to achieve all-time lows in serious incidents.
Provisional data from the HSE shows 133 fatalities in the workplace in 2013-14, down from 150 the previous year.
That represents 0.44 fatalities per 100,000 workers, and is a record in terms of successful safety measures.
Judith Hackitt, chair of the HSE, says: “The release of the annual statistics always leads to mixed emotions.
“Sadness for the loss of 133 lives, and sympathy for their families, friends and workmates, but also a sense of encouragement that we continue to make progress in reducing the toll of suffering.”
Working at height will always represent a risk, as there is only so much that can be done to prevent fatalities when a fall occurs.
However, with adequate edge protection in place, companies and employers can do everything possible to ensure that incidents never have chance to occur at all.