Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 350 of the 937 construction fatalities recorded in 2015 (BLS data). Those deaths were preventable. The National Fall Prevention Stand-Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.
What is a Safety Stand-Down?
A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. It’s an opportunity for employers to have a conversation with employees about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall hazards they see.
Who is it for?
Participation began with but is not limited to the construction industry, and no business is too large or small to participate. In previous years, we’ve had participants in residential construction, commercial construction, industrial construction, mining, general industry, and more. In fact, the largest single participant in 2015 and 2016 was the United States Air Force, reaching more than 1 million military and civilian personnel. Also, nearly half of certificates for participation completed through OSHA’s website were for Stand-Downs with less than 25 workers.
Why should I join in?
Falls are the leading cause of death for workers, accounting for 350 of the 937 construction fatalities and 648 of the 4,836 fatalities in all industries recorded in 2015 (BLS data). But they are also preventable! Hazard elimination, proper training, and use of fall protection can change these numbers.
When can I participate?
The 4th annual National Safety Stand-Down will officially take place May 8 – 12, 2017. During this week, major campaign partners will be providing resources and hosting stand-down events across the nation and internationally, but participation is encouraged year-round!
Where?
Over the last few years, thousands of companies participated in the Stand-Down reaching millions of workers across 50 states and internationally. Over  130 public events were held across the country last year. You can organize your own stand-down on your job site(s), join with others in your area to hold an event, or check out a list of regional events open tot he public at https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/calendar.html
How?
The Campaign website http://stopconstructionfalls.com/ provides ideas for participation on your job site through a 5-Day Plan, Success Story examples of past events, and a variety of resources such as toolbox talks, inspection checklists, videos, and free hardhat stickers that can be ordered at http://stopconstructionfalls.com/online-ordering-form/ while supplies last.
After you’ve participated, don’t forget to get an OSHA certificate at https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/#cert
Menu
