No Falls Week - 18-22 May 2026

Why Working at Height Still Demands Our Attention

Every year, campaigns like No Falls Week shine a spotlight on one of the construction industry’s most persistent and devastating risks: falls from height. Despite improvements in training, equipment and regulation, working at height continues to account for a significant proportion of serious injuries and fatalities across the UK construction sector.

For employers, contractors and health & safety professionals alike, the message behind No Falls Week is simple — awareness must translate into action.

The Reality Behind the Statistics

According to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal injuries in construction. Each year, workers lose their lives carrying out tasks that are often routine, familiar and, in many cases, considered low risk.

The statistics paint a stark picture:

Falls from height consistently account for around one-third of all workplace fatalities in construction.
Hundreds of workers suffer major injuries annually from falls involving ladders, roofs, scaffolding, fragile surfaces and MEWPs.
Many incidents occur during relatively short-duration tasks where controls are either reduced or bypassed entirely.
Smaller contractors and subcontractors are disproportionately represented in fatal accident investigations.

What makes these incidents particularly tragic is that the vast majority are entirely preventable.

Why Do Falls Still Happen?

The industry has access to better PPE, safer access systems and more robust guidance than ever before. Yet accidents continue to happen because safety failures are rarely caused by a single issue.

In most cases, incidents stem from a combination of factors such as:

Inadequate planning
Poor supervision
Time pressure
Unsafe site culture
Improper equipment use
Lack of competence or training
Failure to challenge unsafe behaviours
Complacency around “quick jobs”

One of the biggest dangers in working at height is familiarity. Tasks completed hundreds of times before can quickly become normalised, leading workers to underestimate the risk involved.

The Hidden Risks Beyond Construction

Although construction receives the most attention, working at height risks extend far beyond building sites.

Facilities management teams, manufacturing engineers, warehouse operators, utilities contractors, telecoms engineers, roofing specialists and M&E installers all regularly face exposure to height-related hazards.

Even office and commercial environments present risks through maintenance access, roof inspections and temporary works.

No Falls Week is therefore relevant across virtually every sector where access above ground level is required.

Common High-Risk Activities

Some of the most common causes of falls include:

Roof Work

Fragile roof materials, skylights and edge protection failures remain major contributors to fatal accidents.

Ladder Misuse

Ladders are still widely used incorrectly for tasks that require safer alternatives such as podiums, towers or MEWPs.

Scaffolding Issues

Incomplete scaffolds, poor inspections and unauthorised alterations continue to create serious hazards.

MEWP Incidents

Incorrect harness use, overturning risks and entrapment incidents are increasingly scrutinised by investigators.

Temporary Access Solutions

Makeshift platforms and improvised working areas are still encountered far too often during short-duration works.

Prevention Starts Long Before Work Begins

The most effective way to reduce falls is not through PPE alone — it starts at the planning stage.

The hierarchy of control for working at height remains critical:

Avoid working at height wherever possible
Prevent falls using collective protection
Minimise consequences using personal protection systems

Good organisations build safety into the task from the outset rather than relying on workers to manage risk in real time.

This includes:

Detailed RAMS and lift plans
Proper access selection
Competency checks
Pre-start briefings
Effective supervision
Regular inspections
Clear rescue procedures

Importantly, safety conversations must continue throughout the project lifecycle rather than becoming a one-off induction exercise.

The Role of Leadership and Culture

No Falls Week also highlights the importance of leadership.

Workers are far more likely to follow safe systems when site leadership visibly prioritises safety over programme pressure. Conversely, environments where productivity consistently overrides safety create the conditions where shortcuts become accepted.

A strong reporting culture is equally important. Near misses involving dropped objects, slips at height or unsafe access arrangements should never be dismissed as minor incidents. These are often warning signs of much larger failures waiting to happen.

Competence Matters More Than Ever

As projects become more complex, the demand for experienced health & safety professionals continues to grow.

Many organisations are now investing more heavily in:

Dedicated site safety advisors
Temporary HSEQ support
CDM specialists
Working at height trainers
Behavioural safety programmes
Compliance auditing

Competent safety personnel play a vital role not just in compliance, but in influencing behaviours, improving communication and identifying risks before incidents occur.

A Timely Reminder for the Industry

No Falls Week is not simply another awareness campaign. It is a reminder that every statistic represents a real person, a family and a workplace permanently affected by an incident that should never have happened.

For businesses operating in construction, engineering, manufacturing and infrastructure, the challenge is clear: move beyond box-ticking and create environments where safe working at height is genuinely embedded into day-to-day operations.

Because when it comes to falls from height, prevention is never optional — and complacency can be fatal.