National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction Week Blog

Written by Gideon Potgieter, OR-FACE Student Worker

U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data show that more than a third of construction fatalities in 2022 (397 of 1092) were due to falls to a lower level, making it the leading cause of death in the construction industry. The National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction was started in 2012 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), safety advocates, and industry leaders to raise awareness of the fact that falls are the leading cause of fatalities in construction. The National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction Week is May 6 -10. The goal of the campaign is to prevent falls by encouraging and enabling those working in construction to create fall prevention plans, provide the right equipment, and train everyone to work safely.

The main event of this year’s Falls Campaign is the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. These safety stand-downs occur at workplaces across the nation, and they include a variety of activities where work is paused so that those on the work site can have a conversation about safety issues and how to address them. The campaign’s website offers a variety of resources to help construction contractors develop comprehensive fall prevention plans, select the right equipment, and train workers. We encourage you to make use of these resources and hold a safety stand-down at your workplace anytime. Anyone involved in the industry can make a difference and save lives by joining the campaign and helping to distribute these invaluable resources.

The Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OR-FACE) Program conducts surveillance, investigation, and assessment of traumatic occupational fatalities in Oregon, and produces safety materials to promote worker safety. This year, to support the Falls Campaign, the OR-FACE team has published a construction fall hazard alert. The hazard alert includes safety tips and resources where anyone can learn how to prevent falls at their workplace. We encourage everyone to utilize this hazard alert to help spread awareness of the issue and develop plans to prevent falls.