Stand up for safety: OSHA safety event emphasizes fall prevention
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) focus this week is on its National Safety Stand-Down, taking place from May 7-11. National Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event to encourage companies to talk about safety with their employees, especially about fall hazards and fall prevention.
As you’ve read here before, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI), Diisocyanates (DII) and Aliphatic Diisocyanates (ADI) panels are partnering with OSHA on a voluntary National Alliance to provide members, occupational physicians, stakeholders and others within the polyurethanes value chain with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them further protect the health and safety of workers.
Helping to raise the profile of the National Safety Stand-Down and encouraging companies in our industry to participate is just one of the many ways we partner with OSHA to promote the health and safety of workers. Be sure to check out our Alliance page for more information on other ways we work with OSHA.
OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down is a combined effort from OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and CPWR–The Center for Construction Research and Training, aimed at raising awareness of fall hazards. Falls from heights are still the leading cause of death in the private construction industry and lack of proper fall protection is the most frequently cited violation by OSHA. While the event primarily references the construction industry, workers in any industry are susceptible to fall hazards.
Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to reinforce the importance of fall prevention. If fall hazards aren’t a major risk for a particular company, they can still use the opportunity to talk about other hazards they face, ways employees can protect themselves from those hazards and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall hazards and other potential job hazards they see.
Last year marked the fourth annual Stand-Down with nearly 150 free public events reaching more than 1 million workers. By continuing to reach workers and employers, OSHA aims to raise awareness and decrease the number of fall-related injuries and fatalities. Participation is not limited to the construction industry, and no business is too small to participate. In previous years, many non-construction employers held Stand-Downs.
For more information on the Stand-Down, visit www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown.
