Are you fit to work at heights?

Working at heights remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. Common incidents include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces. In 2017–2018, fatal injuries to workers due to falls from a height were up 30% from the previous year [1]. It is imperative that any employee who works at heights is fit to do so. The term ‘Work at height’ means work in any place where – if there were no precautions in place – a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. It is estimated that the annual cost to society of accidents caused by falls is in the region of more than £300 million. This is primarily due to personal suffering, but also includes costs to employers, medical costs, lost output and damage to equipment. The construction industry alone accounts for half of all falls from height. Medical assessment AlphaBiolabs’ Working at heights medical is designed to ensure that anyone working at heights is fit to do safely and does not have a medical condition or is taking any substances which could results in injury to themselves or others. It provides reassurance that the role will be performed safely and will not cause harm to any co-workers or the general public. Examples of these roles include scaffolders, riggers, roof work and any work involving ladders, stepladders, harnesses and elevated working platforms. The assessment evaluates an individual’s physical and mental capacities by undertaking several tests. It takes about 45 minutes and measures lung function, blood pressure, urinalysis, cholesterol, grip strength and includes the Chester Step Test. It also checks hearing and colour blindness, as well as the usual weight, height and BMI. An advantage of the AlphaBiolabs Working at heights assessment is that it can be combined with drug and alcohol testing, saving you time and money in avoiding the need to schedule another appointment. Our fully trained medical professionals will take your samples and arrange to send them back to our UK-based laboratory should confirmation testing be needed. Rapid service AlphaBiolabs is known for its speed of service. We can schedule Working at heights assessments quickly to meet urgent needs. We offer dedicated testing facilities at our nationwide Walk in Centres, but also offer flexibility to travel to external locations with our portable equipment. If lab confirmations are needed we can provide next day results. For further information or to order a Working at heights medical assessment please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com. [1] Health and Safety Executive: Workplace fatal injuries in Great Britain 2018