Safety Stand-down Focuses on Fall Hazards in Construction Work
Federal safety regulators and the Center for Construction Research and Training are promoting the fifth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction scheduled for May 2018. This event calls for construction companies in North Carolina and nationwide to halt work and conduct safety training. Protecting workers from falls will be a top priority of the stand-down because they are a primary source of fatal accidents among construction workers.
A deputy director from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that company owners and managers can approach training in a number of ways. The stand-down provides an opportunity to hold demonstrations of safety gear, inspect equipment, watch safety videos or educate workers about the workplace hazards specific to their location.
Industry-wide stand-downs organized in previous years have included millions of workers nationwide. According to OSHA, participation among small companies was particularly prevalent with 49 percent of safety events in 2017 hosted by companies with fewer than 25 employees. OSHA encourages all construction companies to use the national event to promote workplace safety.
Employers Obligations
Employers have an obligation to inform their workers about risks to safety on the job and provide protective gear and training. Whether a person receives adequate safety training or not, a workplace injury entitles someone to apply for workers’ compensation benefits. No negligence needs to be proven for a person to collect benefits, but someone concerned about safety violations at work might want to speak with an attorney after an accident. After evaluating the case, an attorney may help the person complete insurance paperwork and alert regulators to safety problems. With legal representation, a person might avoid problems caused by employers or insurers trying to deny benefits or retaliate for reporting an injury.
