Illinois Department of Labor Joins OSHA in Promoting Campaign to Prevent Falls at Construction Worksites

For Immediate Release – April 28, 2021

SPRINGFIELD – The leading cause of death for construction workers is falls, accounting for more than 400 deaths in 2019, according to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Sadly, those deaths were preventable.

Bringing awareness to help prevent construction industry deaths and injuries from falls is the goal of the National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction week, May 3-7.
The Illinois Department of Labor and its Illinois OSHA division are helping to promote the safety week.

While safety equipment and protocols can prevent fall deaths and injuries, falls account for about a third of all construction fatalities in recent years. This is the eighth year the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has focused on fall prevention with its national initiative.

“Falls on construction sites, while preventable through safety measures and training, remain a persistent cause in far too many workplace injuries and deaths. We urge those in the construction industry to take some time to assess what you are doing to prevent falls and to convey the importance of fall prevention to your employees,” said IDOL Director Michael Kleinik.

The national “Stand Down” campaign encourages employers to offer training breaks during the week of May 3-7 for their workers to focus on safety concerns surrounding falls.

Many resources to assist employers are available on OSHA’s Fall Prevention Stand-Down website at www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down The website offers various videos, publications and OSHA’s Fall Prevention Training Guide. The guide provides a step-by-step guidance and lesson plans for employers to put on “toolbox talks” on fall prevention. The lessons cover ladder safety, scaffolding safety, and roofing work safety.

The National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction week will kick off at noon on Monday, May 3. and will feature remarks from OSHA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jim Frederick as well as Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Safety and Health (NIOSH). They will share some of the latest data related to OSHA enforcement, incident rates, and underlying causes of falls, as well as real life stories and new fall prevention resources to use during the Stand-Down week and beyond. Register to watch the kick off here: https://cdc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_DuKUK3ZxT-2V_3G7pvLhWg

OSHA invites employers to share feedback as well as information and photos from their Stand Down events. Comments and contributions can be sent to oshastanddown@dol.gov At the conclusion of the week, employers will be able to go to the website www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown to obtain a certificate of participation.

617**21