Every year National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training together launch a National Safety Stand-Down week. This campaign seeks to raise awareness among workers and employers about common fall hazards in construction and how falls can be prevented. The annual observance is marked nationwide by Safety Stand-Downs. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break during work to focus on fall hazards while reinforcing the importance of fall prevention and the company's safety policies and goals.
Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be leading cause of death for construction employees. Every year, more than 300 construction workers are killed and over 10,000 are seriously injured by falls. All companies who participate in the voluntary Safety Stand-Down week are encouraged to hold trainings, fall protection demonstrations and equipment instructions. Participants include commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, subcontractors, independent contractors, the U.S. Military, other government participants, unions, employer’s trade associations, institutes, employee interest organizations and safety equipment manufacturers. Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing participated in stand-downs and trainings the general contractors held on their projects where employees experienced hands-on training to prevent falls and discussed fall hazards.
Safety has and will always be the primary focus at Chamberlin. None of the work we do can be considered a success, even if we do a quality job, if our safety efforts fail and one of our team members gets hurt. Our people have and always will be our most important asset, and the safety of our people both in the field and in the office must always be our first priority. So, more than anything, we must excel at safety because our employees’ lives depend on it. It was an honor to participate in Safety Stand-Down week, and let’s remember to put safety as our primary focus each and every day.