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.
Leave A Comment