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Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 370 of the 991 construction fatalities in 2016 were caused by falls from elevation. All of these deaths are preventable.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with support from the National Safety Council and dozens of other groups, asks employers to take a few minutes to discuss fall protection and safety when working from heights during the annual Fall Safety Stand Down in May.
The program was originally a two-year effort, launched on Workers Memorial Day in 2012, to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction. But it was so successful it continues annually at the start of every construction season.
Tens of thousands of employers nationwide and more than a million workers participate in the annual Fall Safety Stand-Down.
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Following highway crashes, falls are the second leading cause of workplace death. While construction workers are most at risk, falls can happen in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and virtually any other industry that may involve working from height. NSC, OSHA and its partners encourage workers in all industries to take time out to conduct a Fall Safety Stand-Down.
If you think your company is too small to conduct a Stand-Down, think again. Roughly half of events nationwide are held by companies with 25 or fewer employees.
A Fall Safety Stand-Down can be as simple or involved as you'd like. It can be a one-time event, or it can incorporate fall safety events throughout the week. Managers are encouraged to plan a Stand-Down that works best for their workplace. Suggestions include:
Employers provide feedback about their Stand-Down and download a Certificate of Participation following their event(s). OSHA appreciates any feedback on the Stand-Down campaign and future outreach efforts. Please email [email protected].
OSHA offers handouts, posters, quizzes, fact sheets, stickers, t-shirts and more, as well as these suggestions on how to prepare for a successful Stand-Down. OSHA also posted a list of Stand-Down events being held across the country.
If you plan to host a free event that is open to the public, see OSHA's Events page to submit the event details and contact your regional Stand-Down coordinator.
OSHA releases its most frequently cited violations every year. Find out what they were in 2017.
?Safety+Health magazine, published by the National Safety Council, offers a wealth of articles on fall prevention topics.
Get the tools to help keep workers safe when working at heights.
OSHA has produced this guide for employers to use when conducting fall-prevention training for workers.
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