Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive hold information on the number of electrocutions caused by the use of water-fed poles in window cleaning.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) places duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to report work-related fatalities, certain injuries, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses). Reports are made via a dedicated RIDDOR submission form.

An electrocution that occurred during window cleaning being carried out as a ‘work activity’ (as opposed to by the homeowner) would be reportable under RIDDOR as a work-related fatality.

The Health and Safety Executive collects information on deaths from contact with electricity in the category of ‘building and industrial cleaning activities’. However, it does not collect specific information relating to electrocutions caused by the use of water-fed poles in window cleaning.