CPWR report sums up past fall prevention stand-downs as 2016 event approaches

Silver Spring, MD – Millions of construction workers have received safety training and information during the first two years of OSHA’s annual National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down, according to a new report from the Center for Construction Research and Training, also known as CPWR.

To combat construction deaths related to falls from elevation, a coalition of labor, government and management groups launched a construction fall prevention campaign six years ago. As part of the campaign, OSHA introduced an annual safety stand-down event in 2014. That year, more than one-third of all construction worker deaths were caused by falls from elevation.

During the stand-downs, employers stop work at sites to conduct safety talks and training, inspect equipment, and demonstrate fall protection and procedures.

Worker involvement in the stand-downs grew from 770,000 in 2014 to more than 1 million in 2015 – a 35 percent increase, according to the CPWR report. However, these figures are based on an OSHA database in which participants printed out completion certificates. CPWR estimates the true number of worker participants reached in 2015 alone was about 2.5 million.

The report includes a sampling of participant reaction to the event, recommendations and real-life experiences. “With the recent deaths in our area, everyone in our company is more focused with the information that was given out and each department is making sure that everyone gets home safe more than ever,” the report quotes one participant saying about the 2014 stand-down.

This year’s stand-down is scheduled for May 2-6.