National Fall Prevention Safety Stand Down took place May 8 to 12

This year’s National Fall Prevention Safety Stand Down, organized by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, took place from May 8 to 12 and encouraged companies and workers to observe a pause during the workday for topical discussions, safety demonstrations and training in hazard recognition and fall prevention.

The stand downs should also provide an opportunity for employers and their workers to talk about hazards, protective methods and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations. The length of a stand-down is up to the employer.

The lack of proper fall protection is the violation cited most frequently by the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA inspectors. Joining OSHA in raising awareness about fall-related incidents are several partners, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Atlanta and the Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland. 

OSHA anticipates thousands of employers nationwide to participate in 2017. To guide their efforts, the agency is offering a National Fall Prevention Safety Stand Down webpage with information on conducting a successful event, how to post local events and additional educational resources in English and Spanish. Employers are encouraged to provide feedback after their events and to obtain a personalized certificate of participation.

Other organizations and parties supporting the event are the National Occupational Research Agenda, Atlanta; OSHA-approved state plans; state consultation programs; the American Society of Safety Engineers, Park Ridge, Illinois; the National Safety Council, Itasca, Illinois; the National Construction Safety Executives, the U.S. Air Force and the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers.

For more facts on preventable falls, watch the short video below. To learn more about preventing falls in construction, visit www.osha.gov/stopfalls.