Although most falls from height can be prevented, they remain a major cause of workplace fatalities and injuries. We look at how a RIBA-approved CPD programme from MSA Safety can support architects and specifiers.

MSA Latchways Fall Protection Hoop Ladder

The most recent UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics recorded 35 fatal injuries from falls, accounting for 25 per cent of all worker deaths over the year. Over 60 per cent of deaths during working at height involve falls from ladders, scaffolds, working platforms, roof edges and through fragile roofs.

Regulatory controls and Work at Height legislation
Since 2005, the UK construction industry has been subject to specific regulatory controls around working at height. The working at height regulations bring together the current legislation surrounding working at height, also implementing the ‘European Community Temporary Work at Height Directive.’

V-FIT Constant Force

The regulations state that designers must consider their responsibility for the provision of safe access. Designers must also provide method statements that detail how this will be achieved.

The latest work at height regulations detail specific requirements for both employers and employees. Employers and those in control of any work at height activity must make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. Employees themselves are legally required to report any safety hazard they identify to their employer; and use equipment and safety devices given to them properly, in accordance with any training and instructions.

MSA Latchways Engineered Fall Protection System Skylight-Cover Walksafe

In parallel, CDM regulations now place almost all involved in construction under legal obligations. Updated in 2015, the latest regulations stipulate that all projects must have a written construction phase plan. A ‘principal designer’ (often the architect) must be responsible for CDM compliance, including eliminating hazards and reducing risk. There’s a duty to ensure all persons doing the job have the right skills, knowledge, training, and experience. Lastly, a principal designer and principal contractor must be appointed on projects that will have more than one contractor.

Risk mitigation: designing in safer access
One of the most important factors lies in the design and architecture of the building itself. Architects have a responsibility during every building design phase to carefully consider placement of systems and structures to reduce risk, and, where placement at height is unavoidable, to design-in safe access.

Personal Rescue Device

Lack of awareness: the importance of Continuous Professional Development training
During the first quarter of 2021, the Building Safety Group (BSG) reported an 84 per cent increase in the number of ‘Working at Height’ breaches occurring on construction sites recorded on its Non-Compliance Reporting Index (NCRI).

There is little doubt that the industry needs to better understand the latest practical and legal implications of working at height legislation. In response, fall protection system company MSA Safety is offering an insightful video and online seminar.

MSA’s free ‘Working at Height and the Latest Legislation’ module joins the 1,500 RIBA assessed and approved CPD materials for architects and specifiers on ribacpd.com.

Both the video and the seminar unpack several key issues including:

• what legislation is in place, and responsibilities for the provision of safe access
• what to consider when choosing and specifying a system – and the ways it can be integrated within the building design to be compliant
• risk reduction hierarchy for fall protection and the differences between collective and individual protection
• And much more

Contact Details
To watch the video or to book an online seminar place, visit MSA’s Latchways® Working at height CPD page on ribacpd.com.

About MSA Safety
MSA Safety offers a free-of-charge design service for Latchways fall protection system layouts, plus BIM model downloads.To register for MSA’s CPD click here.