The third annual national “Safety Stand-Down” — in which businesses nationwide take a time-out to review safety procedures with employees — is scheduled for May 2 through 6.
The event, which is sponsored by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, will once again focus on recognizing the hazards and prevention of falls in the construction industry, as well as other workplaces.
Most Falls Preventable
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls were the leading cause of death in construction site accidents, accounting for 337 or the 874 workplace fatalities in 2014. Plus, fall prevention safety standards were among the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards during that same fiscal year.
Last year, more than 2.5 million workers participated in OSHA’s Stand-Down event. This year, the agency hopes to double the participation, reaching a minimum of 5 million people — or approximately half of all the construction workers in the US.
Raising Awareness about Fall Safety
Every construction business, work site and company are encouraged to participate in the event, in which work is temporarily suspended while employers talk directly to workers about fall prevention and other important safety issues. Other activities can include conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards.
Employers seeking information to share or ideas on how to conduct their own Stand-Down events can visit a special website set up by OSHA with suggestions, materials, and highlights from previous successful events. They also can download a Certificate of Participation signed by US Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez that can be presented to workers participating in the event.
Free Events Open to Everyone
OSHA also is sponsoring a series of free training events in cities nationwide in which anybody is welcome to attend. In the Midwest, the training will be held from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at the Kirkwood Continuing Education Center, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While the event is free, registration is required.
In addition, two larger scale events will be held in the Washington, D.C. area. On Tuesday, May 3, work at the MGM National Harbor Resort will be suspended do that all workers can participate in a mass meeting, during which construction company officials will give presentations and training on fall prevention.
And on Thursday, May 5, a safety fair will be held at The Fairgrounds at the Nationals baseball stadium, near the Navy Yard, which will include vendor exhibits, safety demonstrations, and other interactive events.
‘Share Your Story’
Companies that participate in the event by hosting free events that are open to the public are invited to share their information on a special events web page designed to spread the word about local participation. Or they can use the Twitter hashtag #StandDown4Safety to spread the word on what they are doing.