TV star gives work safety warning
May 25, 2006
More than 600 people in the West Midlands region were injured last year when falling only a few feet at work.
TV star Tommy Walsh is helping to warn people they risk their health and livelihood to get a job done quickly.
Workers are being told to think more carefully in a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) exercise.
The Height Aware campaign aims to warn tradespeople they could be at serious risk of injury if they do not choose the right equipment and assess risks.
HSE statistics show falling was the biggest cause of workplace fatalities.
More 3,700 major injuries last year were recorded from falls at workplaces across the UK, with six in ten affecting those working at below head height.
Harvey Wild, HSE inspector, said: "The dangers involved in working at such low levels may seem less obvious to employees or small business owners - which is why raising awareness of them is all the more important."
TV DIY expert Tommy Walsh is working on the Height Aware campaign in a bid to get tradespeople to "take a moment, not a fall".
He said: "Even if you're not that high off the ground, a simple fall could see you ending up in plaster or worse.
"It is impossible to underestimate the importance of this issue, and it makes absolute sense to take your safety seriously."
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