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FOLLOWING DEATH OF WINDOW CLEANER, HSE URGES SAFETY WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHT
Following the tragic death of a window cleaner in Ilkley over Easter, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reminds all people working at height to ensure they take suitable precautions to prevent falling, or minimise injury.
The 44 year old man was cleaning a 5th floor window leaning out from a balcony, when the railing gave way. He fell approximately 50 feet to his death. Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injury and the second most common cause of major injury to employees, accounting for 15% of all such injuries.
David Powell, Principal Inspector with the HSE gives some general advice about working at height:
"Don't start the work until you have properly planned how you are going to do it, and you have fully considered, assessed and controlled the risks involved. Don't underestimate these - simply 'taking care' is not enough and proper precautions must be in place.
"Making do without the right equipment to minimise expense can lead to injury or death, as well as prosecution if the law is broken."
More detailed, free guidance on working safely at height can be found on the HSE website; http://www.hse.gov.uk. In particular, there are three information sheets (MISC611, 612 & 613) specifically relating to window cleaning which can be obtained in the publications section on the website.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg401.pdf
"The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. They place duties on employers, the self-employed, and any person who controls the work of others (EG facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height)"
"Duty holders’ responsibilities - You must: ensure that no work is done at height if it is safe and reasonably practicable to do it other than at height"
 
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