Safety should be an important part of everyday life, but especially so in the construction industry. Because of the propensity for danger, Construction Safety Week and National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls were each established to encourage employers and workers to take extra time to come together and talk about safety and preventing injury.
May 5-9, 2025, celebrates the 12th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, a safety initiative begun by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to spotlight the prevention of falls, which are the industry’s leading cause of worker deaths. OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign coincides with the Construction Safety Week’s National Safety Stand-Down (also May 5-9, 2025) with its commitment “to sending every worker home safe each day”.
The goal of OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is part of OSHA’s larger national emphasis program to prevent falls and “to significantly reduce or eliminate unprotected worker exposures to fall-related hazards in all industries that can result in serious injuries and deaths”.
Company and worker commitment to these safety practices is the heart of the annual events.
“When we come together across our industry to share safety knowledge and best practices, we all benefit. Our workers and construction sites are safer, stronger and better equipped to shape the landscape of our communities. We are committed to building a culture of safety across the industry,” - the Construction Safety Week website.
OSHA urges employers to take time during each workday of Construction Safety Week to conduct "stand-down" activities, which may include safety demonstrations, hazard recognition and fall prevention training, and "tool-box" talks about hazards. Employers are encouraged to discuss job-specific hazards such as ladder use, working on scaffolds, roofing or any other workplace hazard.
Companies can also use the Safety Stand-Down as an opportunity to communicate and engage with employees about job hazards, protective methods, and safety policies and goals. The event can also be an opportunity for employees to engage with management about various job hazards and how those hazards can be corrected for a safer workplace.
Fall prevention includes all work or activities at height such as roof top maintenance or mechanical work, electrical or cable utility line work, tree trimming, road sign maintenance, gutter, chimney and window work or cleaning, and work on communication towers.
OSHA says Plan, Provide and Train for safety.
- Plan ahead to get the job done safely
- Provide the correct equipment
- Train all workers HOW to use the equipment safely.
The ways to prevent a fall:
- Wear a harness and always stay connected to it
- Ensure your harness fits correctly
- Use guardrails or lifelines
- Inspect all fall protection equipment and ladders before use
- Guard or cover all holes, openings and skylights
- Choose the correct ladder for the job
- Maintain THREE points of contact
- Secure the ladder
- Always face the ladder
OSHA offers an array of fall prevention and safety information, fact sheets and videos here: https://www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down/resources. Additional information about Construction Safety Week can be found here: https://www.constructionsafetyweek.com/plan-for-safety-week/resources/.
