Construction and safety professionals gathered at Layher North America headquarters May 12 to raise awareness for preventing fall hazards in the construction industry and support the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s National Fall Prevention Stand-down.
The day began with an introduction by Mike Russell, president of the Scaffolding and Access Industry Association, followed by presentations and demonstrations meant to help prevent falls.
Speakers presented on safety culture, shared personal experiences, outlined OSHA requirements in addition to ANSI recommendations, and discussed the need for fall prevention and fall protection.
Demonstrations and exhibits covered proper inspection of fall protection and planks, showed how to choose correct equipment and calculate potential fall distance, and included live interactive showpieces where volunteers were outfitted with safety harnesses. OSHA’s goal for the stand-down: to reach approximately four out of ten construction workers in the country.
According to OSHA, fatalities caused from elevation falls continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers. Fall prevention safety standards were among the top ten most frequently cited OSHA standards during fiscal year 2014, according to the OSHA website.
Various organisations were represented, including Houston South Area Office OSHA US Department of Labor, Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston, American Subcontractors Association-Houston Chapter, Central South Carpenters Regional Council, Gulf Coast Safety Institute/College of the Mainland, and Scaffold & Access Industry Association.