This Week is Stand-Down for Safety Week

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter. 

Now is the time to focus on safety and fall prevention, as this week marks the ninth annual National Safety Stand-Down. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is holding its ninth annual National Safety Stand-Down May 2-6. The National Safety Stand-Down focuses on raising awareness among employers and workers about the hazards of falls in the construction industry. 

Stand-downs afford employers and employees the opportunity to focus on the fall hazards they face and ways to prevent falls from happening. Falls are the leading cause of death and serious injury among construction workers; however these deaths are preventable, and can be avoided with proper planning, equipment and training.  

The National Safety Stand-Down provides employers an opportunity to speak with workers about the importance of safety, fall hazards and fall prevention. And for companies whose employees aren’t exposed to fall hazards, managers can still have a conversation about the other risks associated with their work, protective methods and the safety policies and goals of the company.   

Since 2012, OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Occupational Research Agenda and The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) has encouraged employers and workers to pause during their workdays for topic discussions, demonstrations and training regarding how to recognize hazards and prevent falls. 

After the Safety Stand-Down, download a Certificate of Participation to show your dedication to safety in your workplace.  And make sure to share your Stand-Down story on social media and use the hashtag: #StandDown4Safety. 

Stand-down For Safety week highlights the heart and care at the core of the industry and renews the community’s commitments to planning to get the job done safely, providing resources on equipment and training to prevent falls. After all, safety stand-down week reminds us that the most valuable asset of the industry are the people in it.  

Anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. Join RoofersCoffeeShop®, OSHA and the industry as a whole as we participate in this important week that celebrates the greater safety and wellbeing of the community.  

To learn more about safety stand-down week visit www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down 

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