National Safety Stand Down Week

The annual Safety Stand Down Week takes place May 6 -10. Led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in conjunction with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the National Safety Council (NSC), and others, the National Safety Stand Down is held each year to raise awareness of safety hazards in the workplace. A Safety Stand Down is an opportunity for employers to hold a voluntary event focused on safety for their employees. OSHA has deemed the National Stand Down a huge success and says it is the largest compliance assistance project involving construction the organization has undertaken.

Fatal Falls

Construction accidents are common and falls from elevation are a leading cause of death for construction workers. In 2017, there were a total of 971 fatalities in the construction industry and more than a third of them involved falls. These fatalities are preventable. The National Safety Stand Down addresses this through topics such as preventing falls from equipment as well as preventing falls through skylights and holes. Employers can also review the use of personal protective equipment such as fall arrest systems.

Companies whose work does not involve fall hazards can focus on other topics relevant to safety and use the Safety Stand Down to address their own safety policies and goals for injury prevention. Toolbox talks and equipment inspections are some of the safety activities employers can plan for a Stand Down. Employees are encouraged during Stand Down for Safety week to bring any safety hazards they see in the course of their work to management’s attention.

Participants

The National Stand Down for Safety is in its sixth year with participants ranging from the U.S. Military and trade unions, to commercial construction companies, residential construction contractors, and manufacturers of safety equipment among others.

OSHA has a number of fall prevention resources available to employers including fact sheets on the safe use of equipment such as ladders and scaffolding, hazard prevention videos, and a Fall Prevention Training Guide. NIOSH has an Aerial Lift Hazard Recognition Simulator that can be used to supplement training for scissor and boom lift operators.

Certification

It is estimated that since the inception of the National Safety Stand Down, millions of construction workers have participated through events in all 50 states as well as overseas. Employers who hold a Stand Down are able to download a Certificate of Participation after their event takes place.

Philadelphia Work Injury Lawyers at Freedman & Lorry, P.C. Advocate for Injured Construction Workers

If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, you may be entitled to compensation. At Freedman & Lorry, P.C. we will fight to get you the maximum amount available to you so that you can make a full recovery. To speak with an experienced Philadelphia work injury lawyer call 888-999-1962 or contact us online. An initial consultation is free of charge. With offices in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Pinehurst, North Carolina we proudly represent injured workers throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern and Central New Jersey, and North Carolina.