Recent statistics, from the UK Government, reveal details on operational deaths within the UK armed forces. In 2021 there was 1 unfortunate fatality recorded within the armed forces. In comparison, across all industries, falls from height resulted in 29 fatalities from work related accidents within the same period.
At worst you might expect similarities between these figures, but those outside the safety industry would perhaps expect military service to be an extremely high-risk environment. Why is working at height 29 times more fatal? What do the armed forces do well to reduce injury and fatalities?
The answer is simple. They follow the 5ps. The 5p’s
The UK armed forces are highly disciplined and process driven. If you analyse accidents at work and falls from height, they are often the result of a lack of planning. This then results in the working at height accidents.
How do you achieve military efficiency? It is in planning and training. In height safety IRATA trained individuals are daily at the highest risk however these a comparable fatality rate to the armed forces.
The 5p’s of proper planning prevents poor performance applies from the design stage of a project through to the operation by the end user.
Conclusions
Safe systems of work and low risk working practises are achieved by selecting the right products with thorough risk assessments at each stage with trained operatives and the correct equipment.
In the military whether during operational incidents or general accidents deaths have declined steeply in the last 8 years, the most fatalities recorded in any one year were 9 (in 2013).
Those involved in working at height can learn from the 5p’s and the example set by our valued military
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