NI contractors warned by Irish HSE on falls from height

"Risk employees lives and you will be held accountable," is the stark warning issued today (Friday) by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), ahead of next week's inspection campaign on working at heights.

HSENI inspectors will be visiting construction sites throughout Northern Ireland during the last week in June. Where appropriate, Prohibition Notices will be served to contractors to halt work immediately if it is found that work at heights is being carried out in a dangerous manner without proper edge protection.  

Highlighting the success of previous HSENI campaigns, Ken Logan head of HSENI's Construction Group said: "Thanks to these initiatives we have seen the number of accidents as a result of falls from heights reducing over the last year.

"However, we cannot afford to be complacent as falls from heights still remains the number one cause of accidents in the construction industry.  In light of this we are warning those contractors, who are still prepared to put their workers at risk, that they will be held accountable."

Logan continued: "Everyone in the construction industry should be well aware of the standards required when carrying out work at heights and therefore no excuses for poor practice will be accepted by HSENI.

"There is simply no excuse for anyone involved in the construction process to plead ignorance of good health and safety practice".