BMSA Bulletin February 2019

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed a collection of compliance assistance resources to address falls in the workplace, the leading cause of worker fatality in the construction industry. OSHA's goal is to promote awareness about common fall hazards in construction, educate job creators and workers on fall prevention, and reduce the number of fall-related injuries and fatalities. These resources, which continue the goals of the Office of Compliance Initiatives, encourage and facilitate compliance evaluations. Falls can be prevented if employers plan ahead to ensure the job is done safely, provide the right equipment, and train workers to use the equipment safely. OSHA is working with industry stakeholders to provide informative compliance assistance resources. Meanwhile, the sixth annual  National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will be held May 6-10, 2019. The agency also has a  series of fall safety videos that show how to prevent construction-related fall hazards from floor openings, skylights, fixed scaffolds, bridge decking, re-roofing, and leading edge work. Further, OSHA has a  Fall Prevention Training Guide that provides a lesson plan for employers including several Toolbox Talks, and a brief video,  On-Site Consultation Program provides valuable services for job creators that are separate from enforcement. OSHA recently published an analysis demonstrating how the agency's On-Site Consultation Program contributes $1.3 billion to the national economy each year.