The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has

designated May 2-6, 2016, for the third annual National Safety Stand-Down. This is a

nationwide initiative to bring education and best practices to employers and employees in the

construction industry around fall hazards. Fall hazards are the leading cause of death in the

construction industry, and as such OSHA is committed to bringing awareness to steps to prevent

injuries and death on these worksites.

“Falls still kill far too many construction workers,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary

of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. “While we regularly work with employers,

industry groups and worker organizations on preventing falls and saving lives, the National

Safety Stand-Down encourages all employers – from small businesses to large companies

operating at many job sites – to be part of our effort to ensure every worker makes it to the end of

their shift safely.”

“In many workplaces, falls are a real and persistent hazard. Given the nature of the work, the

construction industry sees the highest frequency of fall-related deaths and serious, sometimes

debilitating injuries,” said Dr. John Howard, Director of NIOSH. “Since the effort began in

2014, the National Safety Stand-Down serves as an important opportunity for both employers

and workers to stop and take time in the workday to identify existing fall hazards, and then offer

demonstrations and training to emphasize how to stay safe on the job.”

If you have any questions about this stand-down, or about how to better protect your employees

at your construction sites, please contact us. If you have anything to add about this safety stand-

down, please leave a comment.