National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is next week

Falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry. In 2016, a total of 991 hard hats died in construction accidents. Almost 40% of them, 370,  lost their life after they fell from a height. Most of these accidents may have been prevented.

To increase awareness and to prevent more injuries and deaths related to falls, OSHA and several other partners advocating for safe construction practices are asking employers all over the country to organize Safety Stand-Down events and discuss safety with their employees.  Employers are invited to focus on Fall Hazard and Fall Prevention. Safety stand-down can be conducted in various ways. Toolbox talk during a break or inspections of safety equipment, development of rescue plans or discussion related to specific job hazards are examples of activities that can be organized during a safety stand-down. The OSHA website proposes various suggestions and ideas to employers on how to organize a successful Stand-Down. OSHA also has an event page for Stand-Down events by regions that are free and open to the public. OSHA also encourages all employers to share their Stand-Down experience. Employers who are participating in the campaign will also receive a Certificate of Participation.

CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT PREVENTION EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE NYC DOB

In New York City, the Department of Buildings will hold its annual “Build Safe│Live Safe” Annual Conference and send staff on construction sites to promote safety through a multilingual campaign entitled “Experience is not Enough”. New York employers are also expected to organize their own safety stand-down.

Started in 2014, the National Safety Stand-Down has been growing in popularity every year. Stand-Downs are being organized in all 50 States by various participants such as commercial construction companies, residential contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, governmental organizations such as the U.S. Military as well as Unions, trade associations, safety construction manufacturers and construction safety advocates. Additionally more than 150 public events are held every year all over the country.