According to Bureau of Labor statistics, falls are the leading cause of construction related deaths each year. Sadly, the vast majority of constructed related falls are preventable. To this end, OSHA partners each year with employers, workers, trade unions, and safety equipment manufacturers to stage the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls. Last year, 2.5 million workers participated in a series of toolbox talks stressing the importance of construction fall safety. OSHA officials hope to reach 5 million workers this year.
How to Conduct a Stand-Down at Your Construction Site
During a Stand-Down, companies stop work at a designated time to discuss and demonstrate how to prevent falls. By visiting OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down web page, you’ll have access to free resources describing how to:
- Conduct an event.
- Receive a certificate for participating in the Stand-Down
- Access a variety of educational and training resources and fact sheets, both in English and Spanish.
According to U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, “The men and women working in the construction industry drive our nation’s growth and prosperity. We rely on them to build our homes, our roads and our communities….they deserve access to the equipment, training and resources available to prevent falls and the tragedy they can inflict. I encourage everyone to join the 2016 National Safety Stand-Down and help ensure that no one’s livelihood is a matter of life or death.”
Download OSHA’s Guide To Fall Protection for the Construction Industry
For a list of events open to the public near you, visit the Stand-Down calendar. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of Stand-Down events as many employers will sponsor private programs for their workers. If you are interested in learning more about fall protection for the construction industry, contact Diversified Fall Protection for further assistance.
