US Labor Secretary and head of OSHA kick off initiative with press teleconference call today, June 2, at 1 pm EDT
Tens of thousands of employers and more than 1 million workers across the country are joining the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from June 2 – 6 in safety stand-downs to focus on saving lives and preventing fatalities from falls in the construction industry. Falls are the leading cause of death in construction and nearly 300 workers lost their lives in falls during 2012. Lack of fall protection is the most frequently cited OSHA violation, proving that these deaths are preventable when employers provide the right safety equipment and properly train workers how to use it. As a part of the Stand-Down, companies and workers will voluntarily stop work to host safety events focusing on how to prevent these fatalities.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels will be kicked off this week-long series of events at 1 p.m. EDT June 2, during a press teleconference.
Safety first, says AEM as it actively supports National Fall Prevention Stand-Down
Safety is a priority focus for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and its member companies, and AEM is actively supporting the National Fall Prevention Stand-Down being held June 2-6. The campaign promotes greater awareness among construction industry employers and workers about the seriousness of fall hazards.
Resources the industry can use for the stand-down can be found on the special National Safety Stand-Down section of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website. Educational and training tools include booklets, fact sheets, posters and wallet cards.
AEM is a member of the Construction Sector Council of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), an initiative of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The stand-down is part of OSHA’s ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign, launched in 2012 and developed in partnership with NIOSH and NORA.
In 2013, nearly 2,500 employers and over 50,000 workers took part in regional stand-downs that were held across the U.S. This year, the goal is to involve 25,000 employers and 500,000 workers.
Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, accounting for 269 of 775 total fatalities in 2012, according to OSHA.
AEM is active in many organizations, coalitions and programs advancing safety, and AEM also produces an extensive series of safety manuals, videos and related safety training materials that promote safety awareness in cost-effective, easy-to-follow formats.
Drawing from the combined experience of manufacturers dedicated to safe equipment operation, these materials describe basic, job-oriented hazards and safety procedures. For more information, visit the AEM website at http://shop.aem.org. Some safety materials are offered in downloadable files or in DVD format. AEM members receive discounts on select materials.
IPAF Supports OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down For Fall Prevention
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) fully supports the program and strongly encourages all of its member companies to participate in this awareness event.
Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers, accounting for over a third of all construction fatalities recorded in 2012. The majority of those deaths were preventable.
The Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary pause during the workday to allow dedicated time for employers and employees to focus on recognizing hazards and preventing falls. The time can include toolbox or tailgate talks, safety presentations, or discussions on specific topics like ladder safety, scaffolding safety and the proper use of aerial platforms. The meeting provides information to workers about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations. The program is a part of OSHA’s fall prevention campaign to plan, provide and train – three simple steps to prevent falls. This should be included as part of a Stand-Down discussion.
IPAF’s North American web site www.awpt.org offers many tools that can be used at a Safety Stand-Down. Under the “Publications & Films” tab, you can find many free downloadable documents. Of specific importance for this Stand-Down, you will find: (1) Best practice of personal fall protection systems for use with AWPs (2) Video “Only dummies don’t wear harness on booms” (3) Best practice on creating workplace risk assessments.
Falls are preventable incidents that you can address when you plan, provide and train. Take this opportunity and join many others in this National Safety Stand-Down. Don’t wait, sign up today, plan your event and improve safety on your work site.
Learn more about the Safety Stand-Down on OSHA web site www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/index.html. Managers are encouraged to plan a stand-down that works best for their workplace anytime during the week of June 2-6, 2014.