OSHA Prepares for National Safety Stand Down Week

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is preparing for the National Safety Stand Down week. As the name suggests, the focus of this event is to raise awareness about the potential for fall injuries in the workplace. According to OSHA, 15% of all accidental deaths in the workplace are attributed to slips, trips and falls. That's the second-highest rate of accidental deaths, surpassed only by motor vehicle accidents.

In previous years, National Safety Stand Down focused strictly on falls in the construction industry. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that falls are listed as one of the "Fatal Fours" of this industry. OSHA says that 384 out of 991 worker deaths in the construction industry in 2016 were attributed to falls, making it the leading cause of death among construction workers. While this year's National Safety Stand Down will include construction, it will cover other industries as well.

As part of its annual National Safety Stand Down, OSHA will provide employers and workers with a variety of tools and resources to protect against falls. This includes the annual Stand Down poster, a calendar of events, toolbox talks consisting of recommended activities, lesson plans for employers, webinars and more.

It's safe to say that OSHA's National Safety Stand Down event has had a positive impact on workplace safety. It's helped employers create a safer working environment by reducing rates of fall-related injuries and incidents.

So, what can you do to participate in National Safety Stand Down Week? On its website, OSHA says that employers can "conduct a Safety Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards."

Even without National Safety Stand Down, though, there are steps you can take to protect workers from fall-related injuries. This includes the use of signage in areas where falls are common, as well as requirements for non-slip footwear in high-risk injuries. Of course, there are dozens of other ways to reduce the risk of fall-related injuries, many of which are discussed during National Safety Stand Down.

The National Safety Stand Down will take place on May 7 through May 11. You can learn more about this event by visiting OSHA's official website at https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown.