In order for communities to grow, construction is necessary. Bystanders may not entirely understand all of the risk involved in building residential facilities and other public amenities in urban centers like Minneapolis and St. Paul. Regardless, the construction industry is one of the most dangerous in the country, so employers should take steps to create the safest environment possible.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, fall accidents are among the most prominent threats to construction workers. In 2012, falling from a height resulted in nearly 35 percent of all fatalities in the construction industry. Not only that, but a lack of fall prevention measures was among the most frequently cited workplace safety issues cited by OSHA that same year.
Recognizing how big of an issue fall accidents are for construction workers, it may be worth wondering what employers in the industry are doing to prevent these accidents. In early June this year, OSHA is planning a nationwide safety stand-down for fall accident prevention in an attempt to reduce injuries and fatalities.
The basic idea behind a safety stand-down is that construction workers will stop working for a period of time in order to converse directly with their employers about strategies for creating safer job sites. This year, of course, workers and their superiors who participate in this effort will look at ways to prevent on-the-job falls.
Taking one day to recognize the importance of preventing fall accidents among construction workers isn’t enough. Rather, this safety issue should be a top priority every day. Workers deserve to know that they have the training and resources necessary to minimize the risk of a life-altering injury.
Source: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction,” accessed June 5, 2014