Florida Chamber Safety Council campaign takes aim at construction worker deaths

Tallahassee, FL — Citing statistics that show construction workers have accounted for more than 1 out of 4 workplace fatalities in the state in recent years, the Florida Chamber Safety Council has launched a campaign aimed at reducing deaths and injuries in the industry.

According to the council’s 2020 Florida Workplace Safety Data Report, 28% of the state’s 1,950 workplace fatalities from 2011 to 2018 were in construction. In 2019, the industry experienced 75 worker deaths involving equipment, while 69 were the result of slips, trips and falls. An additional 61 were linked to exposure to harmful substances.

The #SafetyMeansSuccess campaign, featuring a video series and an educational toolkit for employers and workers, is a result of the council and its advisory board working to “ensure Florida becomes a national model for safety, health and sustainability.”

Available in English and Spanish, the videos highlight the benefits of appropriate training, proper use of personal protective equipment and a safe jobsite. The toolkit includes suggestions on how workers and employers can expand the #SafetyMeansSuccess message.

Construction industry professionals are encouraged to download the videos; share them via social media; and use them in presentations to safety leaders, employees, customers and partners.