Join the 2016 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, May 2-6

Words: Dan KamysIn 2014, almost 40 percent of all construction fatalities were fall related, and all of these deaths were preventable. Falls continue to be the construction industry’s leading cause of death; each year, hundreds of workers die and thousands more suffer catastrophic, debilitating injuries. Despite these statistics, the absence of proper fall protection remains the violation cited most frequently by federal safety inspectors. May 2-6, 2016 marks the third annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, promoted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA and thousands of employers nationwide will participate in Stand-Down events. A typical Stand-Down allows companies to stop work at a designated time to discuss and demonstrate how to the best prevent falls, and to encourage workers to apply these methods consistently. OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down web page provides free information. The National Safety Stand-Down is part of OSHA’s fall prevention campaign, started in 2012 and developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH’s National Occupational Research Agenda and The Center for Construction Research and Training. "The construction industry sees the highest frequency of fall-related deaths and serious, sometimes debilitating injuries,” said Dr. John Howard, Director of NIOSH. “Preventing falls benefits everyone. 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.” For a list of free Stand-Down events open to the public near you, visit the Stand-Down calendar of events. Employers also sponsor many events solely for their workers. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/.
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