Falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction professionals, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); however, these fatal accidents were preventable.
In order to bring awareness to this issue, the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), a trade association representing North America’s asphalt roofing manufacturing companies and their raw material suppliers, is supporting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in its National Safety Stand-Down Campaign.
The event takes place May 8-12 and urges workers, employers and safety associations around the country to step down from their ladders, scaffoldings, roofs and other high places and dedicate time to worker safety and fall prevention.
According to the BLS, 337 workers died from falls on construction sites in 2014. These numbers rose to 350 out of the 937 construction industry fatalities in 2015. Of the 4,836 fatalities that occurred across all industries in 2015, 648 were caused by falls. Falls remain a leading cause of death in the construction industry, and lack of proper fall protection remains the most frequently cited OSHA violation.
“We know roofing professionals are highly skilled and know to take every precaution while working at high elevations, but sometimes they need a reminder to do so,” said Reed Hitchcock, executive vice president of ARMA. “We encourage our members to observe National Safety Stand-Down in order to minimize accidents in the workplace by raising awareness of an important issue that impacts the entire roofing industry.”
To get information on how to conduct a successful event, obtain resources for employees and workers, receive a certificate of participation, and get the latest news, visit www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown.