It’s Not Always Good to Be Number One. Let’s Get Workplace Falls Off OSHA’s Top Ten Lists

For the eleventh fiscal year in a row, OSHA’s fall protection standard for the construction industry was the agency’s most frequently cited safety standard. Violations of Standard 1926.501 also topped OSHA’s lists of both “serious” violations (when a workplace hazard can cause death or serious physical harm) and “willful” violations (when an employer knowingly fails to comply with a standard or acts without concern for employee safety).

Even more alarming is the fact that for construction workers, falls remain the leading cause of work-related injuries and deaths. Indeed, falls account for more than one-third of the total number of fatalities in the construction industry. As OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign notes, these deaths are preventable. By one estimate, employers could save 300 lives a year, simply by eliminating fall hazards and providing proper training on the use of fall protection.

In the Intermountain West, where construction is a particularly strong industry that employs large numbers of people, focusing on fall safety in the workplace would have a big impact. As a December 2021 report by Construction Coverage points out, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and Nevada are the states that have the highest percentages of construction employment (these states are ranked 1, 2, 3, and 5 respectively). The report estimates that in our area alone, this amounts to almost 300,000 construction wage and salary workers, all of whom benefit from a proactive approach to workplace safety.

At Industrial Supply Company, we are here to help get workplace falls off of OSHA’s top ten lists. We offer a variety of customizable on-site safety services to help our customers minimize their employees’ fall risks and remain in compliance with federal workplace safety standards. These include trainings that follow OSHA guidelines on the correct use of fall protection, fall equipment inspection, and how to spot fall hazards, as well as workplace safety assessments and vending technology to dispense needed safety supplies at the worksite.

Industrial Supply Company is committed to keeping workers in the Intermountain West safe and healthy, and to providing businesses with the resources they need to be in compliance with today’s safety requirements. To learn more about our safety services, please contact our Safety Sales Manager, Cody Naylor QSSP at 385-910-8164 or cnaylor@indsupply.com

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