OSHA fall prevention stand-down set for May 4-15

Washington – OSHA hopes to reach about half of the nation’s construction workers through a two-week safety stand-down aimed at preventing falls – the leading cause of death in the construction industry.

More than 1 million workers participated in last year’s weeklong stand-down, which the agency said was the largest occupational safety event ever held. For this year’s event, which will run May 4-15, the agency hopes for 20,000 stand-downs with 3 million worker participants.

“Now is the time for all of us to renew our commitment to sending workers home safe every night,” Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said in a press release. “Last year’s stand-down showed us what employers and workers sharing that commitment can accomplish. Responsible employers understand that safety is not a luxury – it is a necessity.”

OSHA is encouraging managers to plan a safety stand-down for the event. A stand-down entails conducting a safety activity, such as a toolbox talk, equipment inspection, rescue plan development or discussion about job-specific hazards.

This is the second year of the annual stand-down event, which is part of a fall prevention campaign launched three years ago by OSHA, NIOSH, and the Center for Construction Research and Training.