More than 1 million workers from tens of thousands of businesses are estimated to be taking part in the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) National Fall Safety Stand Down this week.
Throughout this week-long Stand-Down, employers have paused during their workday to focus on the hazards of falls and preventing them. Industry and business leaders, including universities, labor organizations and community and faith-based groups, have scheduled stand-downs in all 50 states and across the world.
Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, with hundreds of workers dying each year and thousands more facing serious injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Lack of fall protection is also the most frequently cited OSHA violation, which really boils down to the fact that these deaths are preventable when employers provide the right safety equipment and properly train workers how to use it.
Throughout this week, “a record number of companies and workers around the country” are voluntarily stopping work to talk about fall prevention, according to the DOL. The government agency is encouraging Stand-Down participants to share their experiences on Twitter by using the #StandDown4Safety hashtag and mentioning @USDOL.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez says everyone has banded together to join the campaign “to save lives and prevent fatal falls in the construction industry.” Perez says the economy is on the rebound, housing starts are on the rise and the summer construction season is getting underway.
