Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and as the statistics show, hundreds of workers die each year and thousands more suffer debilitating injuries. Still, death because of improper fall protection is one of the the most frequently cited violations from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. To raise awareness of the severity of this common construction site hazard, thousands of companies and much more than a million workers across the country joined OSHA in 2014 for a weeklong National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. This year's Safety Stand Down is being held from May 4-15, 2015.
The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction was conceived by OSHA to raise awareness about the severity of fall hazards in construction and the recognize importance of preventing them. It has evolved into an annual, voluntary event where employers talk directly to employees about fall hazards and protective methods as well as company safety policies, goals and expectations. Companies are encouraged to participate in a Safety Stand-Down by stopping work and providing a toolbox talk on a safety topic such as ladder safety, fall protection equipment, or scaffold safety.
If you are interested in participating in this year’s Safety Stand Down for Fall Prevention, the following are some ideas to bring to your work place:
1. Host a Toolbox Talk on a fall prevention topic
2. Review your Fall Protection Program
3. Inspect your fall protection equipment
4. Conduct a fall protection demonstration
5. Share experiences, review industry incidents, near misses and best practices involving fall prevention.
Participate in this year’s Safety Stand-Down that is scheduled for May 4-15! Click to find out more about the Stand-Down and receiving an OSHA Certificate of Participation at.