KIPRC Urges Construction Workers to Stand Down for Safety
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2015) — The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center based at the University of Kentucky has joined the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's National Safety Stand-Down initiative from May 4 to 15.
The public safety campaign calls for all construction site managers to suspend work for a short period to review safety standards, including fall prevention, rescue plans, job-specific hazards and other protective measures. To participate, construction companies of all sizes can hold a Safety Stand-Down, or voluntary event for employers to speak directly with workers about safety. Employers are encouraged to focus on fall hazards and fall prevention during the Stand-Down. Falls from elevated heights continue to cause preventable deaths in the U.S. In 2013, 291 of 828 reported construction worker fatalities were caused by falls.
"In 2014, Kentucky saw 14 fatalities from falls from elevation — 14 deaths that could have been prevented," De Anna McIntosh, a safety specialist for the Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation at KIPRC. "We are hoping that in raising awareness about falls and how to prevent them, we can eliminate this type of workplace fatality."
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, employers should prohibit work when weather conditions are wet, windy or icy. Workers should be required to wear a personal protective fall system during all phases of a roofing job. Also, employers should have a fall protection plan in place and a written document outlining the fall protection plan before a job begins.
The OSHA Safety Stand-Down initiative coincides with North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. Last year, more than one million construction workers participated in a Safety Stand-Down. Employers can obtain resources to conduct a Safety Stand-Down as well as a certificate of participation by clicking here.
MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu