Pro Installer November 2013 - Issue 08 | Page 4

4 NOVEMBER 2013 PRO INSTALLER PRO NEWS www.proinstaller.co.uk THERE’S STILL TIME TO EXCHANGE WINNING IDIOTS ON LADDERS 2013 PICTURE Following the success of last year’s campaign, which saw the number of ladders exchanged increase by 35%, the Ladder Association has announced that this year’s inspectionled campaign will now run to 31st December 2013. First introduced in 2007, the Ladder Exchange has already been responsible for removing thousands of dodgy, broken and bent ladders from the workplace. These can be exchanged for brand new ones, at a discount, at any of the campaign’s partner outlets. Please see www. ladderexchange.org.uk for details. First introduced in 2012, when the association took over the running and development of the Ladder Exchange from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2013 has seen the return of the hugely popular ‘Idiots on Ladders’ competition. Throughout the campaign the aim has been to lift awareness and understanding of the need to check and inspect ladders regularly and to use them safely and competently. “The ladder is an invaluable piece of workplace equipment,” says Cameron Clow. “Just remember that if it’s right to use a ladder, use the DROP IN FATAL AND MAJOR INJURIES IN GB WORKPLACES WELCOMED The British Safety Council welcomed the improvements in Great Britain’s health and safety performance published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in its annual statistics report. HSE noted a significant reduction in the number of workers killed and seriously injured at work. The number and incidence of fatal injuries in Great Britain fell significantly as did the number and incidence of major injuries. Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council, while welcoming these improvements, noted that much more is needed to be done in order to achieve the ‘13,000 deaths each year are attributable to work-related disease’ British Safety Council’s vision that no one should be injured or killed in Britain’s workplaces. “While the number of people killed and seriously injured in Britain’s workplaces continues to fall yearon-year we echo the comments of HSE’s chair, Judith Hackitt, that many of these deaths and serious injuries could have been prevented by simple safety measures,” said Alex Botha. “While the number of deaths in British workplaces has halved over the last 20 years – 148 workers killed in 2012/13 compared to nearly 300 in 1993/94 – it remains a major concern that the agriculture, construction and waste re-cycling sectors together account for almost half of these unnecessary deaths. “We must not forget the tragic toll of work-related disease. HSE reports that around 13,000 deaths each year are attributable to work-related disease including occupational cancers – 40% in construction. We all have a role to play in ensuring risks are properly controlled to prevent harm in the workplace.” ‘if it’s right to use a ladder, use the right ladder’ right ladder, in good condition, and make sure you use it properly. If you’re in any doubt, just ask a Ladder Association member for advice.” Workplace major injuries hit an all time low for 2012/13 Figures published by the Health and Safety Executive show an 11 per cent drop in major injuries compared to 2011/12. The provisional statistics show that in Britain between April 2012 and March 2013: • 19,707 major injuries such as amputations, fractures and burns, to employees were reported (a rate of 78.5 injuries per 100,000 employees) – compared with 22,094 in 2011/12 (a rate of 88.5 per 100,000 employees) • 148 workers fatally injured – down from 171 the previous year. The average for the past five years was 181 worker deaths per year. • Workplace injuries and ill-health (excluding work related cancer) cost society an estimated £13.8 billion in 2010/11 compared with £16.3 billion in 2006/07 (both in 2011 prices). ‘Britain continues to improve its health and safety performance’ Chair of HSE, Judith Hackitt said: “This year’s figures demonstrate that Britain continues to improve its health and safety performance, with important falls in the number of workers fatally injured and the number of employees suffering major injuries. “But we still see too many deaths and injuries occur in the work place many of which could have been prevented through simple safety measures. Getting this right is the key to ensuring that everyone can make it home safely at the end of their working day. There has also been little change in the industries in which workers are most likely to be injured by their jobs, with construction (156.0 major injuries per 100,000 employees) among the higher risk sectors. The full statistics are available at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics