Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017 (BLS data). Those deaths were preventable. The National Safety Stand-Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.

Join the Washington State Stand Down

Falls cost. Safety pays. Choose to promote fall prevention on your job site during Safety Stand-Down weeks.

 

What is a Safety Stand-Down?

It’s when you take a break from normal work activities so your crew can focus on a particular jobsite safety topic, like training on safe use of ladders or inspection of full body harnesses.

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, as you can see from this Washington State infographic (753 KB PDF)

Who Can Participate?

Anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. In past years, participants included commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, sub- and independent contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, the U.S. Military, other government participants, unions, employer’s trade associations, institutes, employee interest organizations, and safety equipment manufacturers.

Get Involved

Start now. Any construction business in Washington State can choose how to participate and what to address. You’ll find plenty of ideas and ready-to-go resources on various topics. See the Ladder Safety Resource Guide (177 KB PDF).

Ideas for Stand Down

Stand-Down activities can range from short toolbox talks to scheduled, full-day events. Pick what’s right for your company.  Find ideas here.

Share your success stories!

Share your story on social media with the hashtags #StandDown4Safety and #StopFalls.

Image credit: OSHA