Falls are one of the most frequently cited serious
violations in construction, and 33.3% of fatalities in the industry are caused
by falls. The Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction aims to teach
construction companies to plan for safety, provide the right equipment and
train workers to stay safe on the job, primarily by providing educational
materials on its website.
While the campaign targets construction professionals working
for companies of all sizes, significant efforts are focused on raising
awareness among small construction companies. Campaign leaders say that because
the partners who organized the campaign work at the national level, many
smaller companies have not yet discovered it.
Recent statistics prove that the smaller an operation is,
the more likely a fall is to occur, with 54.7% of fatal falls occurring within
companies with fewer than 10 workers. Similarly, the rate of falls is greater among
residential construction workers than among workers executing commercial
projects.
Even workers who spend only a short time in hazardous
locations, such as satellite dish installers, could benefit from the campaign’s
products since fatalities have been reported during short-term projects.
Safety professionals are urged to get involved and spread
the word about the campaign by following NIOSH on Twitter, liking its Facebook
page, distributing campaign materials, and joining the campaign.
