Construction Contractors Urged to Promote Fall-Prevention Awareness During OSHA’s ‘National Safety Stand-Down’ Week

Dublin, California (April 25, 2019)—The OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, the only OSHA-authorized training insitutue (OTI) education center headquartered in northern California, is urging construction contractors to participate in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) “National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction” week May 6-10 by taking a break during the workday to reinforce the importance of fall prevention. 

“Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017,” said Cari Elofson, assistant director of the OTI education center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District. “Employers can help eliminate these preventable deaths by raising fall hazard awareness among their construction work crews. We urge contractors to plan a workday activity during the week, such as offering a toolbox talk, conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans or discussing specific jobsite hazards.”

Over the last 5 years, thousands of companies have participated in “National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction,” reaching millions of construction workers across all 50 states and internationally. Participants have included commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, subcontractors and independent contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, unions, and employer’s trade associations.

“National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction” week provides a forum to reinforce the importance of safety training and remind employers that they are responsible for the safety and health of their employees while on the job. In conjunction with OSHA’s fall prevention initiative, the OTI education center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District is offering OSHA 3115-Fall Protection, a 3-day course that provides an overview of state-of-the-art fall protection technology and current OSHA requirements, at multiple locations throughout California in May, August, September and October 2019.

OSHA has created an area on its website that offers an overview of the event, suggestions for how to conduct a successful activity, and an opportunity to share your company’s story and receive a certificate of participation. OSHA also offers a wide variety of fall prevention resources, publications, training materials, videos and a 24-page illustrated fall-prevention training guide. 

For more information, visit osha.gov.