Washington — The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction kicks off May 6.
Created by NIOSH, OSHA and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, the 11th annual stand-down comes as fall-related deaths continue to climb. A recent CPWR report shows the number of fatal falls in construction rose more than 50% during a recent 12-year period.
The safety organizations and their premier partners – including the National Safety Council – are encouraging employers and workers to take part in toolbox talks, safety equipment inspections, rescue plan development and in-depth discussions on hazardous tasks.
An OSHA webpage offers a list of nationwide stand-down events that are free and open to the public.
The agency asks employers to share their stand-down stories by emailing [email protected] or using the hashtag #StandDown4Safety on social media.
The stand-down is set to conclude May 10. However, event organizers emphasize that its message extends beyond the observance dates.
“This is a yearlong effort,” Doug Trout, deputy director of the NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health, recently told Safety+Health. “Even though we do focus on the stand-down and the related events, we really want people to understand this is something that needs to be emphasized all year round.”
