The most common cause of workplace fatal injury is a fall from height. The simplest way to protect your workforce is to cushion the blow. Literally.
According to the HSE’s statistics, in 2015/16 there were 0.6 million non-fatal injuries and 144 fatal injuries to workers – of which, just over a quarter (37 cases) were accounted for by a fall from height. Almost half (18) of the fatal falls occurred in the construction sector.
The impact of such devastating effects on workers and their families is well documented and is covered in a previous blog about the real cost of poor site safety as well as these case studies from the HSE.
When it comes to the financial implications of workplace incidents, the HSE estimates that the annual cost of workplace injury to business in 2014/15 was £4.8 billion – see the HSE’s Health and safety at Work Summary statistics.
The hidden costs (considered in the real cost of poor site safety post) should never be overlooked when business planning and allocating resources for health and safety training and equipment.
The clear message from these statistics is that measures to limit the impact of a fall from height is the single-most significant step that businesses operating in the construction industry can make to protect its workforce – and its bottom line.
Even for businesses with excellent site safety records, accidents can and do happen, and falls from height cannot always be 100% prevented. What is required is a way to limit the impact of a fall, should the worst happen.
How Impact-Bull® from Bull could save your workforce
At Bull we are experts in safety for the construction and building industry.
We have been supplying the UK building trade with fall arrest systems since 2001, and our British Standard PAS 59 compliant Impact-Bull® fall arrest system has been specifically designed to cushion falls and reduce the risk of injury to workers in the event of an accident.
Designed to provide a safe and cushioned landing, it will break a fall and help keep your workforce safe.
Impact-Bull® fall arrest system
Think of a giant inflatable jigsaw cushion and that’s the essence of the Impact-Bull® fall arrest system.
Each cushion is filled with ‘sealed for life’ air pockets. With low inflation pressure, the cushions absorb the weight of a fall.
It’s the most effective collective fall arrest system on the market and no other system is as easy and simple to install as ours – each Impact-Bull® air cushion takes just 30 seconds to inflate.
Not only that, but with a higher fall rating than any other fall arrest system on the market (it has a fall arrest height of 3.1m from finished floor level to working height), our system will keep your workforce safe even when used in properties with higher ceilings.
Impact-Bull® cushions have a 10-year life-span provided they are maintained properly – and we’ve backed it up with a recent case study.
For maximum flexibility and practicality, the cushions link together with quick-release buckles, allowing the system to be configured to fit the space required, whilst also enabling it to be moved from site to site and to be used time and time again.
The versatile system has been primarily developed for house building and, given its composition of exclusively fire safety compliant materials, can be used in timber framed developments, concrete structures and traditional brick built properties.
For more reasons to use the Impact-Bull® system, see our ‘Eleven reasons to use Impact-Bull®’ blog.
Expertise you can rely on
Bull’s reputation as an expert in the field of fall safety equipment is based on over a decade of innovation and design.
We first supplied fall arrest systems in 2001 and introduced Impact-Bull®, our own product in 2006.
It’s a heritage we’re proud of and we’re continuing to innovate and improve design to protect the UK’s building and construction industry.
As you would expect from Bull, our Impact-Bull® service includes on-site annual inspection, service and repairs, and on-site training in safe use.
For more information about Impact-Bull® and our other health and safety products and services, talk to one of our team of knowledgeable and friendly advisors on 01432 806806 / enquiries@bullproducts.co.uk.
