OSHA News Release
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Region 5
Region 5 News Release: 14-1008-CHI
June 2, 2014
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov
Safety Pays, Falls Cost: R.C. Wegman Construction hosts OSHA Fall Safety
Stand-Down event at New Main Aurora Public Library
AURORA, Ill. – Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and they accounted for 12 percent of all occupational injuries in 2012. In an effort to prevent these injuries and fatalities through education and outreach, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration launches the 2014 Fall Safety Stand-Down, which will be held from June 2-6. An estimated 1 million workers and 25,000 businesses, including construction industry leaders, will halt their work for one hour during that week to discuss the importance of recognizing fall hazards and implementing fall safety measures.
R.C. Wegman Construction will be a part of this nationwide effort on Tuesday, June 3 beginning at 11 a.m. CDT at the New Main Aurora Public Library, a project currently under construction by the company. A toolbox talk on fall protection including a presentation by DBI Sala, a manufacturer of fall protection equipment will be part of the training session for about 35 workers. The stand-down is being coordinated through the North Aurora Area OSHA office.
"Falls account for more than a third of all deaths in the construction industry," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "One fall can cost an employer their business and a worker their life. Every person participating in these events is showing their commitment to preventing a senseless loss of life and livelihood."
The stand-down is part of OSHA's ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign, which was started in 2012 and was developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program.
WHO: Jacob Scott, OSHA Area Director, North Aurora, Ill.
Bill Arnolde, R.C. Wegman Construction Company
Bob Turner, DBI Sala
Chris Murphy, AmeriSafe Safety Supplies and Equipment
WHAT: Fall Safety Stand-Down
WHERE: New Main Aurora Public Library
101 S. River St.
Aurora, IL 60506
WHEN: Tuesday, June 3, 2014
11 a.m. CDT
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Join the conversation on Twitter by using #StandDown4Safety and tagging @USDOL
Press interested in attending these events should contact
Scott Allen or Rhonda Burke using the contact information provided above
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