Contractors have until 31 December to take advantage of Ladder Exchange, an HSE scheme that offers a 50% discount on a new ladder in exchange for an old or damaged one

According to HSE figures, 3,600 people suffered serious injuries as a result of a fall from height in the workplace in 2007/08.

The campaign is being promoted by Craig Philips, the first winner of Channel Four’s Big Brother show who ran his own contracting business in the 1990s.

The HSE’s Peter Brown said: ‘We want everyone working at height to use the right ladder for the job and to use it safely. Ladder Exchange is the perfect opportunity for businesses to assess the risks involved in using ladders and to adopt sensible health and safety measures.’

More information on the scheme can be found at www.hse.gov.uk .

Meanwhile, the Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint over the HSE’s ‘Asbestos: the hidden killer’ campaign.

An individual challenged the HSE’s statement that more than 4,000 deaths a year are linked to asbestos exposure. The ASA said it should have been made clearer the figures were based partly on estimates.

Source

Construction Manager