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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, 366 of the 971 construction fatalities in 2017 were caused by falls from elevation. All of these deaths are preventable.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 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. It was so successful, it continues 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.
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 any other industry that involves working from height. NSC and OSHA encourage workers in all industries to conduct a Stand-Down. No company is too small to participate; roughly half of events nationwide are held by companies with 25 or fewer employees.
A Fall Safety Stand-Down 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. Consider:
Employers are welcome to provide information about their Stand-Down and download a Certificate of Participation following their event(s). This certificate recognizes the time and effort each organization devoted to talking about preventing falls with their crews.
To get the certificate, simply fill out this form and let OSHA know what activity you completed for the Stand-Down. OSHA also 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 posts a list of Stand-Down events being held across the country.
If you plan to host a free event open to the public, see OSHA's Events page to submit the event details and contact your regional Stand-Down coordinator.
For more information, check out this list of FAQs, and highlights from previous Stand-Downs. The National Association of Home Builders also offers a number of fall-prevention videos
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.
Create awareness around the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down with this poster, available in English and Spanish.
OSHA has produced this guide for employers to use when conducting fall-prevention training for workers.
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