Falls from elevations are the most common cause of death for construction workers and the annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction highlights this entirely preventable hazard.
This year, the week-long event from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) takes place May 2 through May 6.
The Stand-Down is an opportunity for employers and workers to pause on the job and together plan to prevent falls in the workplace, according to NIOSH.
In 2020 alone, there were more than 350 fatal falls on construction sites, making up 34% of all construction fatalities.
Employers can participate in the Stand-Down by providing a toolbox talk on related safety topics such as roofing, scaffolding or ladder safety, or by conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, watching safety videos or discussing hazards.
Materials and events
NIOSH provides materials for the event in English and Spanish. Those materials can be found here.
The organization worked with OSHA, the National Occupational Research Agenda Construction Sector Council and the Center for Construction Research and Training to develop and promote this year’s Stand-Down.
Virtual, free events can be found through OSHA’s events webpage.
Thousands of companies and millions of employees have participated across all 50 states and internationally, since the first Stand-Down in 2014.
Participation in the Stand-Down is not limited to the construction industry, and no business is too small to participate, according to NIOSH.
