BAC Journal > Safety Pays, Falls Cost. The best in the business play it safe.

Safety Pays, Falls Cost. The best in the business play it safe.

2012 Issue 2
Safety
JOURNAL: ISSUE 2 - 2012

Every year thousands of construction workers are injured or killed after falling from a height. During 2010 alone, more than 10,000 construction workers were injured and another 255 were killed due to a fall. Two out of three fatal falls occurred among workers employed by contractors with ten or fewer employees. If these numbers don't get your attention, consider this: every number represents someone just like you and could have been prevented.

"Making sure that our members receive the training and equipment to prevent a fall has always been a priority for our Union," says Executive Vice President Gerard Scarano. "The good news is that now this issue has a national focus and I'm pleased to report that BAC is playing a role in the campaign." Launched on April 26, 2012, the Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction represents the first time government, labor unions, employers, researchers and other stakeholders have joined forces to address this leading cause of construction injuries and deaths.

"Through the partnership effort among stakeholders, we believe we can make great strides in addressing this preventable cause of many workplace injuries and fatalities," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "Safety is everyone's business and this campaign will provide the knowledge and tools to help contractors and workers stay safe on the job." Toward that end contractors are being asked to:

  • PLAN ahead to get the job done safely;
  • PROVIDE the right equipment; and
  • TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely.

Contractors and workers can find information on how they can play a role in preventing falls at the Campaign's website, www.StopConstructionFalls.com. This website, contains posters, handouts, training materials, and information on how organizations can join the campaign. But what is really capturing attention is the site's interactive Construction Fatalities Maps, which provide a visual representation of the scope, magnitude, and geographic distribution of fall- and other work-related deaths in our industry. 

To learn more, visit the campaign website, sign up to get alerts, and "Like" the Stop Construction Falls Facebook page.

Most importantly, play it safe. Work safely and use fall protection.