Targeting fall prevention, OSHA opens June with national stand-down

Sources: Occupational Safety & Health Administration; CP staff

As announced earlier this year, OSHA has designated June 2-6 for a national construction site stand-down—contractors and crews pausing workdays to review ladder, scaffolding and roofing work safety—aiming to raise awareness about hazards accounting for the highest number of deaths in the industry.

“Falls account for more than a third of all deaths in [construction],” says Assistant Secretary of Labor of Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “We’re working with employers, workers, industry groups, state OSH plans, and civic and faith-based organizations to host safety stand-downs that focus on recognizing hazards and preventing falls. We are getting the message out to America’s employers that safety pays and falls cost.”

OSHA dedicated website provides information on how to conduct a successful stand-down, and enables employers to relay feedback on their stand-down experience while obtaining personalized certificates of participation. The stand-down is part of OSHA’s ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign, launched in 2012 with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The campaign shows employers how to plan ahead to prevent falls, provide workers the right protective equipment, and train all workers in proper use of that equipment.