According to OSHA, fatalities caused by falls from height are one of the leading causes of death for construction employees, and these deaths are preventable. The National Safety Stand-Down increases awareness for fall hazards with the goal to stop fall fatalities and injuries.
The Safety Stand-Down
A Safety Stand-Down is an event for employers to talk with employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on "Fall Hazards" and "Fall Prevention". If employees aren't directly exposed to fall hazards, the stand-down can be an opportunity to talk about the other job hazards they face.
Participating in a Stand-Down
While the Stand-Down is geared toward the construction industry, anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. Past participants have included a variety of industries such as commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, sub- and independent contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, the U.S. Military, other government participants, unions, employer's trade associations, institutes, employee interest organizations and safety equipment manufacturers.
Resources
The OSHA website has some great resources for holding a stand-down. Here are just a few:
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Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful "Stand-at Down"
-Highlights from the Past Stand-Downs.
-OSHA
Events page
Involvement
If your company participates, you can download a Certificate of Participation following the Stand-Down. You can also share details about your Stand-Down by using the hashtag @StandDown4Safety.
