The 12th of May – 16th of May 2025 was No Falls Week. First launched in the UK in 2024, this event is organised by the No Falls Foundation, the only UK-based charity that is devoted exclusively to managing working at height.
Help raise awareness of the importance of safely working at height.
Irrespective of what people do for a living, whether it is in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, engineering or any other working sector, No Falls Week is designed to generate a common awareness. They encourage employers of all types and their employees, through the gaining of knowledge and then hopefully through inspiration, to set out to reduce, if not curtail, the number of falls that occur. The aim is for all work at height to be conducted safer, if not in complete safety.
Falls from height are the leading cause of workplace fatalities.
The 2022 – 23 figures identified 40 people lost their lives to falls from height. In 2023 – 2024, the figure reached 50 fatalities. This made falls from height the biggest cause of death in the workplace AGAIN, with 36% of all worker deaths for the year due to falling from height. This is more than the next two causes combined (struck by moving vehicle – 18% and struck by moving object – 14%). Not something that employers need to be proud of.
For 2023 – 24, it should be noted that falls on the same level accounted for 31% of reported incidents, which far outstripped falls from height (at 8% of reported incidents). So, 92% of reported incidents were not falls from height, yet this was the single biggest reason for fatality in the workplace.
These numbers, once known, should instil a degree of resolve to reduce them. The week’s purpose was to raise awareness of the risk of working at height, and how to manage solutions by:
- Risk assessing the task and putting in place a safe system of work, which includes using the right equipment for the activity/task (s) at hand;
- Providing training for tasks and equipment use, for information’s sake.
- Providing supervision – not just to instil confidence, but to pursue competence;
- Assessing (reviewing) regularly that any current methodology remains the most suitable and sufficient for the conditions they are being conducted under;
- Creating and upkeeping records that demonstrate due diligence.
If working at height is a matter you need assistance with, we can provide training to help you and your business. Please see our training brochure here for more information.
Need help with this? Do not hesitate to contact us.