More than 250 employees die on the job each year from elevated falls. In fact, more than 250 employees have died from elevated falls annually for the past 20 years, making it the leading cause of accidental death among construction workers.
To increase awareness of this issue, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced the National Safety Stand-Down in 2014, which reached and educated more than 1 million workers about fall prevention. Now in its second year, the program hopes to reach more than 3 million workers at 20,000 worksites through the voluntary initiative.
The campaign encourages employers to talk with their employees about the hazards of working at heights, review safety procedures and open a dialogue with others about fall prevention safety. OSHA’s website offers a variety of resources, such as fact sheets, toolbox talks and training materials, to help start the conversation.
Other industry and government groups are partnering with OSHA to support this effort, including:
“No child should lose a parent, no wife should lose a husband and no worker should lose their life in a preventable fall. The Stand-Down serves as an important opportunity for worksites to recognize the hazards that cause them [and] train employers and workers how to avoid them so that these senseless tragedies can be prevented once and for all,” said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard of the program.
OSHA, NSC and others are also offering certificates of participation and forums for employers and employees to provide feedback and discuss their Safety Stand-Down.
Making time for a Safety Stand-Down will increase awareness of this all-too-common and preventable hazard. Start the conversation today to save lives.
You tell us: What does your company do to prevent falls? Let us know in the comment section below!
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