OSHA News Release
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Region 5
Region 5 News Release: 14-1016-CHI
June 3, 2014
Contact: Scott Allen Rhonda Burke
Phone: 312-353-6976
Email: allen.scott@dol.gov burke.rhonda@dol.gov
Safety Pays, Falls Cost: Eau Claire construction workers to attend
OSHA Fall Safety Stand-Down events, June 4 and 5
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – 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.
Two safety stand-down events will be a part of this nationwide effort in the Eau Claire area, June 4 and 5. Miron Construction will have a training event at the River Heights school construction project in Menomonie on Wednesday, June 4 beginning at noon CDT. Farrell Equipment and Supply Co. will host an event with local construction contractors on Thursday, June 5 at its company facility in Eau Claire. Both stand-downs will feature fall protection training and demonstrations are being coordinated through the Eau Claire 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.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Noon CDT
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WHO: Bob Mann, Miron Construction, Regional Risk Manager
Dexter Covey, OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Eau Claire
WHAT: Fall Safety Stand-Down
WHERE: River Heights School
615 24th Ave. West
Menomonie, Wis.
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WHEN: Thursday, June 5, 2014
8 a.m. CDT
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WHO: John Saxe, President, Farrell Equipment & Supply Co. Inc.
Adam Fechhelm, OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Eau Claire
WHAT: Fall Safety Stand-Down
WHERE: Farrell Equipment and Supply Co.
1510 N. Hastings Way
Eau Claire, Wis.
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
Media will also need to contact Bob Mann at Miron Construction for the Menomonie event, 715-841-4093
and John Saxe at Farrell Equipment and Supply Co. Inc., 715-834-4334 for the Eau Claire event
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U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The department's Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).