Episode #289
Falls From Height: Still the UK's Biggest Workplace Killer (with Peter Bennett OBE)
Christian Harris hosts this Safety Roundtable with Peter Bennett OBE of the No Falls Foundation, unpacking why falls from height have remained the UK's leading cause of workplace fatalities for decades, and what's actually standing in the way of real progress. The conversation covers why familiarity with a task quietly erodes risk perception, why the industry still lacks the detailed precursor data needed to spot recurring patterns, and why age and self-employment status are strongly linked to fatality figures. Peter draws on findings from a joint fatal accident inquiry into six deaths on farms in Falkirk to illustrate why falls need to be treated as a systemic issue rather than isolated, one-off events. They also discuss why avoiding work at height altogether, not just equipping people better for it, deserves far more attention at the design stage, and why architects and building regulations rarely account for it. Peter closes by setting out the No Falls Foundation's three charitable objectives, education, research and support, and how individuals and organisations can get involved in No Falls Week 2027. Peter Bennett OBE is a trustee of the No Falls Foundation. Sign up for No Falls Week: nofallsweek.org Check where your organisation stands on safety: [scorecard.slipsafety.co.uk]
