Peak Construction Season Brings Safety Stand Downs
Two took place in Tennessee and the Chicago area this week, focused on preventing caught in/between accidents and falls.
The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) and several construction trade associations co-sponsored a statewide Caught In/Between Accidents Safety Stand Down on June 10, when employers were asked to halt work at their job sites at 7 a.m. to discuss how to prevent them.
This type of injury is one of OSHA's Focus Four Hazards, and normally these incidents increase from June through August, according to TOSHA. "TOSHA is committed to keeping Tennessee workers safe, and creating awareness is an important factor in attaining this goal," said Burns Phillips, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Associations participating in the event were Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders and Contractors, American Society of Safety Engineers, Home Builders Association of Tennessee, Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association, and the Tennessee Road Builders Association.
Meanwhile, federal OSHA worked with the Builders Association, the Construction Safety Council, the Chicago Area Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, and others to sponsor a 30-minute fall prevention safety stand down June 12 at construction sites in and around Chicago. Participating sites were encouraged to devote the time to training on preventing falls from ladders, scaffolds, and roofs.
"The stand down will heighten construction workers' awareness of and ability to identify fall hazards," said Nick Walters, OSHA's regional administrator in Chicago. "Training will be provided on how to use ladders, fall protection systems, and other equipment safely. Builders Association-OSHA Alliance members can demonstrate leadership, as well as a commitment to worker safety, by participating in this safety stand down."