Stand Down With Us for Fall Protection!
We assume that since we might have years of experience on the job that we know how to avoid all hazards on the job site. However, the leading cause of death in the construction industry continues to be falls from high elevation. Fall protection is not a topic to be dismissed in your workplace safety review. This week especially we are pushing for the focus on education and training of fall hazard safety as we are observing the week of the National Safety Stand Down.
What is the Safety Stand Down?
OSHA came up with the idea of National Safety Stand Down week in 2014. The inspiration behind this week came from the importance of bringing awareness to the severity of fall hazards in the construction community and the value of educating employers on preventing them. This year National Safety Stand Down week will be observed May 6th through the 10th. This event is voluntary for employers to speak with their employees directly about the safety required on the job site. Originally, those on the job site who are participating would stop their work for a period of time and discuss specific dangers on the current site. However, the campaign has evolved from just the specific hazards of a project to talking about all possible hazards on the construction site. They choose to focus on the topic of fall hazards and protection more thoroughly. During the week the topics range from protective methods to be followed on site to job hazards they face daily. In-depth reviews of the companies’ very own safety guidelines and policies are reviewed as well. This gives an opportunity for employees to approach management about the hazards they are facing and would like to address.
Why You Should Join the Movement
According to OSHA, “366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017 (BLS data)” were linked to falls from high elevations. These tragedies could have been prevented if there was proper equipment and training involved. Although years of experience on a site make one knowledgeable, it does not make one invincible. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to openly talk with your employees about the importance of fall safety on the site. Participating in this week bringing awareness to your team and can change these numbers and lead to a safer and brighter future.
How To Participate in Safety Stand-Down
Start planning early, that way you can create the most effective stand down as possible. Make sure all teams chosen to help go over the topics of the stand down are informed and prepared at each site. Involve your contractors, architects, engineers and any other team member you feel could add a valuable testimony or knowledge to the presentation. Possible topics to cover could be: what types of falls can happen on the site, is there anything that can be fixed, cover the training offered to your employees, and have a refresher on how to properly use the safety equipment provided. You can use our eBook to help you prepare and put on the stand down for your specific work site. The eBook is downloadable so you can even print it out for yourself and take it to the job site.
Stand With Us!
As a fall protection company, the observation of this week is close to our hearts. We strive to provide the most high-quality safety equipment to our clients. It is also very important to us that all those we work with are as informed as possible to stay safe on the job. During this week, please stand with us to lower the fatalities linked to fall hazards in the construction community. Use the hashtags #Standown4Safety #HySafe to show your participation in this important event.
