Many businesses use personal fall protection equipment at height, but use it incorrectly. That can be costly for both the worker and the business. – We see a need to remind employers that they have a responsibility to plan and ensure that work at height is carried out safely, and that the protective equipment used complies with the manufacturer’s instructions, says section manager at the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, Tore Jeppe Sørhaug.
Last year, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority issued 653 administrative fines. We issued the most fines in the construction industry, and the most common reason was dangerous work at height.
– We see that employers often skip collective protection and go straight to personal fall protection equipment, or even omit protection altogether. That is a serious lapse, says section manager Tore Jeppe Sørhaug at the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority.
Examples from inspection reports where companies have received administrative fines:
“During the inspection, we observed that the workers were working unprotected at height. We issued an order to stop work at height due to imminent danger to the worker’s life and health.”
“The workers were working at the edge of the deck, and no collective protective measures had been installed where they were working. One worker had no protection against falling from height. Another worker was using fall protection equipment/personal protective equipment (PPE), but it was not used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, especially with regard to the anchor point and clearance height.”
“Based on the relevant risk assessment, the workers and employer had concluded that personal fall protection equipment was a sufficient measure to prevent falls. The general rule is that collective protective measures must be given priority over personal protective measures. … The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority measured the fall height to be 6.6 meters from the roof edge to ground level.”
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