It will be the 3rd year for the National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction. The emphasis began 5 years ago with the Construction Fall Prevention Campaign. Partners in the campaign include OSHA, NIOSH, CPWR and the NORA Construction Sector Council. This year the Safety Stand-Down will be held during the week of May 2-6. Employers are asked to participate by setting aside time during the week to have an open discussion with their workers about falls and how to prevent them. Falls remain the leading cause of death in construction. In 2014, there were 337 fall fatalities out of 874 total fatalities in construction. Those deaths were preventable.
Last year, nearly 2.5 million construction employers and workers took part in stand-downs in all 50 states and internationally. This year, the goal is to involve 5 million employers and workers in stand-downs. Meeting this goal would have a huge impact on raising awareness of the falls issue and ensuring workers return safely home to families every day.
Please help promote the fall prevention campaign and the Stand-Down by raising awareness among employers and workers about fall hazards, and by providing information they can use to prevent injury and death. By helping us reach employers and raising awareness about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs, you will be part of a concerted effort throughout the nation to reduce the number of deaths and injuries that result from falls.
New resources have been developed for the Stand-Down including a mobile app (search for “safety stand down” in our mobile app store). Other resources can be found on the Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down webpage and the Campaign webpage. Employers can receive formal recognition for participating in the event if they complete an online questionnaire and print their “Certificate of Participation.” Information about the Campaign and the Stand-Down is available on the other official web sites CPWR and NIOSH and Oregon FACE .
Partners in Oregon and Washington have collaborated to help promote this event. On May 6 a free class on “Fall Hazard Awareness in Construction” will be offered in Portland. You may have seen the ads on the buses. To register for the class click h
ere. Class size is limited so register soon.
