Falls from height continue to blight the UK construction industry, with statistics showing a rise of 140% in the number of workers involved in such accidents in the last three months.

The figures come from the Building Safety Group, who said falls from height now make up 23% of all accidents, up from as little as 4% in the previous quarter.

But the number of overall accidents has dropped by 21% from 226 in the May-July quarter, down to 177 in the three months between August and the start of November.

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The most frequent types of accident occurring on UK construction sites are of employees being injured while handling, lifting or carrying something, according to the Building Safety Group’s report.

Over 25% of all accidents were caused that way so far this year.

Paul Kimpton, managing director of the Building Safety Group said: "It is really good news that the number of accidents over all has decreased in the last three months, but 177 is still a very large number of people hurt and it is therefore essential that companies of every size adhere to health and safety measures.

"The increase in the number of people who fell from a height is quite alarming, especially as there is no reason for this type of accident if proper safety precautions are taken."

(IT)