Stand-Down for Safety – 2023 – Prevent Falls in Construction

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for one-third of all construction fatalities. That’s why the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is so important. This year’s Stand-Down will take place May 1-5, 2023.

The Stand-Down is a voluntary event that encourages employers to take a break from work to talk to their employees about fall hazards and prevention. It’s an opportunity to review safety procedures, inspect equipment, and train workers on how to stay safe.

Being safe is for you and your family

There are many things that employers can do to prevent falls in construction. Here are a few tips:

  • Provide proper training on fall protection.
  • Ensure that all workers have the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hard hats, safety glasses, and harnesses.
  • Inspect worksites regularly for fall hazards.
  • Use proper fall protection equipment, such as guardrails, ladders, and scaffolds.
  • Enforce safety policies and procedures.

By taking these steps, employers can help to prevent falls and keep their workers safe.

If you’re a construction worker, it’s important to be aware of the fall hazards on your jobsite and how to stay safe. Here are a few tips:

  • Always wear your PPE, including a hard hat, safety glasses, and harness.
  • Be aware of your surroundings and look out for potential fall hazards.
  • Use proper fall protection equipment, such as guardrails, ladders, and scaffolds.
  • Don’t take unnecessary risks. If you’re not sure about something, ask for help.

By following these tips, you can help to prevent falls and stay safe on the job.

The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is an important event that can help to save lives. If you’re a construction worker or employer, I encourage you to participate in this year’s Stand-Down. Together, we can make a difference and prevent falls in construction.

To assist, I have downloaded a large chunk of the related safety materials from OSHA. Click here, or find them on http://www.OSHA.gov:

Take 5 for Safety

Who knew they had this much stuff?

Texas has a great resource on safety – a series of short safety topics that are called, “Take 5.” These are a wide range of subjects – I don’t think I have them all, but below are the best.

You know what to do:

Residential Construction Fall Protection – Free, from OSHA!

OSHA has some great materials on working in residential construction.  Guidance in this area is necessary, as most of the materials and training out there are for larger construction sites.  OSHA is now focusing my more heavily on residential construction, so the materials below are quite necessary.

You know what to do (click):

reducing falls in residential construction – working in attics

reducing falls in residential construction – roof sheathing

reducing falls in residential construction – roof repair

reducing falls in residential construction – installing roof tiles

reducing falls in residential construction – installing roof joists and trusses

reducing falls in residential construction – installing floor joists

reducing falls in residential construction – erecting interior and exterior walls

reducing falls in residential construction- metal standing seam room

All Safety Programs About Everything – Free Downloads

No really – this is from North Carolina OSHA.  A huge amount of safety programs covering nearly everything.  This time I don’t expect you to download everything – just as much as you really need.  Have fun.

Click links below for documents:

A Guide to Asbestos for Industry

A Guide to Bloodborne Pathogens in the Workplace

A Guide to Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout Tagout

A Guide to Crane and Derricks

A Guide to Developing nad Maintaining an Effective Hearing Conservation Program

A Guide to Electrical Safety

A Guide to Emergency Action Planning

A Guide to Ergonomics

A Guide to Eye Wash and Safety Shower Facilities

A Guide to Fall Prevention in Industry

A Guide to Forklift Operator Training

A Guide to Form Safety and Health

A Guide to Formaldehyde

A Guide to Hexavalent Chromium

A Guide to Lead Exposure in the Construction Industry

A Guide to Machine SafeGuarding

A Guide to Manual Materials Handling and Back Safety

A Guide to Occupational Exposure to Isocyanates

A Guide to Office Safety and Health

A guide to Personal Protective Equipment

A Guide to Preventing Heat Stress and Cold Stress

A Guide to Public Safety Driving

A Guide to Respiratory Protection

A Guide to Safe Scaffolding

A Guide to Safety In Confined Spaces

A Guide to the OSHA Excavations Standard

A Guide to Working with Corrosive Substances

A Guide to Working with Electricity

Construction Industry Safety and Health Management Program – Word

Construction Jobsite Safety and Health Guide

Fire Rescue EMS Safety and Health Management Program – Word

General Industry Safety and Health Management Program ig1

Long Term Care Industry Safety and Health Management Program

OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs Inspections Records or Training

Workplace Violence Prevention Guidelines and Program for Healthcare Long Term Care and Social Services Workers

HSE – Work from Heights, Roof Work, Other – Free Downloads!

I raided the Queen’s library again, and dashing out, I even grabbed a document in Welsh!  Those guys with the tall hats can move faster than I would think.

Click links below for documents:

Health and Safety In Roof Work

Preventing Falls from Boom Type Platforms

Preventing Falls from Vehicles – Welsh

Preventing Falls from Vehicles

Safe Use of Ladders and Step Ladders

Safety in Window Cleaning using Rope Platforms

Safety in Window Cleaning Using Suspended Platforms

Safety in Window Cleaning

Working at Height

Workplace Safety Health Welfare – 60 Page Book

You Asked For It – UK Health and Safety Materials

Traffic from the UK was heavy and I received several comments like, “Good materials, but we will have to adapt them to the UK.”  Well, seeing as the traffic was heavy, and this all about the safety of workers on the job, I did a little bit of looking and found where the Queen hides her safety materials.  At least some of them.  So here they are.  Not all, obviously, but, a basic selection.  Now that I have raided her coffers, I will add more in the future.  If people across the pond know of more good materials, feel free to forward and I will post.

For those in the USA and elsewhere – regulations from the UK are normally at, or above what the USA requires.  So instead of doing ‘the minimum,’ why not give this a look see?  It won’t kill you (no pun).

Thank you for yelling at me.

Click links below for documents:

Basement Construction

Confined Spaces

Excavation

Handling Kerbs – Reducing the Risks of MSDs

Hard Hats

Inspections and Reports

Keeping Your Site Tidy

Lead Paint

Material Handling

Preventing Falls from Mobile Boom Type Lifts

Preventing Injury from Handling Heavy Blocks

Running a Small Construction Site

Safe Erection Use and Dismantling of Falsework

The Absolutely Essential Guide For The Smaller Construction Contractor

Want Construction Work Done Safely

Free Fall Protection Toolbox Talks from WorkSafeBC – Download Here

A good selection of toolbox talks, plus a template for a written plan.  

Click links below for documents:

Falls – Anchor Points

Falls – Full Body Harness

Falls – Horizontal Lifelines

Falls – How Long Does it Take to Fall

Falls – Inspecting Harness

Falls – Inspecting your Landyard

Falls – Putting on a Harness

Falls – Restraint or Arrest

Falls – Retractable Lifelines

Falls – Rope Grabs

Falls – Shock Absorbers and Caribiners

Falls – Using the Right Lanyard

Falls – Verical Lifelines

Falls – Written Plan

OSHA Safety Programs – All

I will categorize these later – I promise – but for now – here are all of OSHA’s larger programs.  These include confined spaces, lockout tagout, etc.

Click links below for documents:

Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines

Stairways and Ladders

Sling Safety

Scaffolding

Safe Patient Handling – Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nursing Homes

Respiratory Protection – Small Entity Compliance Guide

Respiratory Protection – Assigned Protection Factors for the Revised Standard

Process Safety Management

Process Safety Management – Guidelines for Compliance

Portland Cement – Preventing Skin Problems

Personal Protective Equipment

Medical Records – Access to Medical and Exposure Records

Medical and Dental Offices – A Guide to Compliance with OSHA Standards

Lockout Tagout

Lead in Construction

Job Hazard Analysis

Heat Illness – Protecting Yourself in the Sun

Hearing Conservation

Fall Prevention – Training Guide – A Lesson Plan for Employers

Fall Prevention – Training Guide – A Lesson Plan for Employers – Spanish

Excavations

Employers Rights and Responsibilities Following an OSHA Inspection

Emergency Response – Principal Emergency Response and Preparedness – Requirements and Guidelines

Emergency Response – Best Practices for Hospital Based First Receivers of Victims

Emergency Action PLans

Electrical Hazards – Controlling Electrical Hazards

Distracted Driving

Cranes and Derricks – Small Entity Compliance Guide

Construction Tunneling

Confined Spaces

OSHA QuickCards – Download Here – All Free – English/Spanish/Other – Updated!

Updated 10/26/2014 with new QuickCards from OSHA – see below:

I downloaded and posted nearly all OSHA QuickCards to a single location.  I skipped obscure types, but about 95% are here.

Click links below for QuickCards:

Updated Cards – 10/26/2014

Agriculture – Backing Up Farm Vehicles and Equipment Safety QuickCard

Agriculture – Protecting Farmworkers from Tractor and Harvester Hazards

Agriculture – Protecting Workers from Tripod Orchard Ladder Injuries

Cold Stress QuickCard

Combustible Dust – Precaustions for Firefighters to Prevent Dust Explosions

Hazard Communication Safety Data Sheets

Hazard Communication Standard Labels

Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram QuickCard

Previous Entries:

Aerial Lift Safety – English

Aerial Lift Safety – Spanish

Amputations QuickCard – English

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning QuickCard – English

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning QuickCard – Spanish

Chain Saw Saety QuickCard – English

Chain Saw Saety QuickCard – Spanish

Chain Saw Safety QuickCard – Portuguese

Chipper Machine QuickCard – English

Chipper Machine QuickCard – Portuguese

Chipper Machine QuickCard – Spanish

Cold Stress QuickCard – English

Confined Spaces – Permit Required QuickCard – English

Confined Spaces – Permit Required QuickCard – Spanish

Construction Hazards – Top Four – QuickCard – English

Construction Hazards – Top Four – QuickCard – Spanish

Construction PPE QuickCard – English

Construction PPE QuickCard – Spansih

Demolition Safety QuickCard – English

Demolition Safety QuickCard – Portuguese

Demolition Safety QuickCard – Spanish

Electrical Safety QuickCard – English

Electrical Safety QuickCard – Spanish

Emergency Response QuickCard

Fall Protection – General Industry QuickCard – English

Fall Protection – General Industry QuickCard – Spanish

Hand Hygiene QuickCard – English

Hand Hygiene QuickCard – Portuguese

Hand Hygiene QuickCard – Spanish

Hazard Communication – Safety Data Sheets – GHS – English

Hazard Communication – Safety Data Sheets – GHS – Spanish

Hazard Communication – Standard Labels GHS – English

Hazard Communication – Standard Labels GHS – Spanish

Hazard Communication – Standard Pictograms GHS – English

Hazard Communication – Standard Pictograms GHS – Spanish

Heat Stress QuickCard – English

Heat Stress QuickCard – Spanish

Heat Stress QuickCard – Vietnamese

Ladder Safety QuickCard

Lead in Construction QuickCard – English

Lead in Construction QuickCard – Spanish

Mercury – Avoiding Exposure from Flourescent Bulbs QuickCard

Mold QuickCard – English

Mold QuickCard – Spanish

Motor Vehicle Safe Driving Practices QuickCard – English

Motor Vehicle Safe Driving Practices QuickCard – Spanish

Portable Generator QuickCard – English

Portable Generator QuickCard – Spanish

Process Safety QuickCard Respirator QuickCard – English

Respirator QuickCard – Protuguese

Respirator QuickCard – Spansih

Tree Trimming and Removal QuickCard – English

Tree Trimming and Removal QuickCard – Portuguese

Trench Safety QuickCard – English

Trench Safety QuickCard – Spanish

Work Zone Traffic Safety QuickCard – English

Work Zone Traffic Safety QuickCard – Spanish