Construction workers, employers, and safety professionals are invited to join West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension specialists on Monday, May 2, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s National Fall Prevention Stand-Down campaign.

The event offers safety demonstrations, giveaways, free-fall hazard awareness training and other resources to educate workers about prevalent fall hazards.

Historically, fatalities caused by falls continue to be the leading cause of death for construction workers, accounting for more than one-third of the 874 construction fatalities recorded in 2014. Violations associated with fall prevention safety standards continue to be among the top 10 OSHA issued citations nationwide.

“The National Fall Prevention Stand-Down goal is to raise awareness among workers and employers of the danger of falls on the jobsite, and how to prevent them,” said Wayne Lundstrom, WVU Safety and Health Extension associate professor and director of the National Resource Center -OSHA Region III Training Center. “Getting the job done includes creating a safe work environment for all employees so that they can go home to their families at the end of the day.”

This year marks WVU Extension’s third year of participation in the annual, week-long OSHA campaign. Last year’s national event reached more than two million workers – the goal this year is to double that by reaching five million workers nationwide.

The event will showcase safety technologies and provide demonstrations on how to prevent construction falls. Attendees will also be able to browse various informational stations to learn about safety measures for ladders, scaffolds, aerial lifts and more. Refreshments will be provided.

Event organizers will offer the OSHA #7405 Fall Hazard Awareness for the Construction Industry course, for free, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Alumni Center. Participants will learn how to identify, analyze and prevent fall hazards. A certificate of completion will be provided to those who finish the course.

Space for the course is limited and preregistration is required. Visit www.wvusafetyandhealth.org to register.

For those unable to attend Monday’s course, it will also be offered on Wednesday, May 4, at the Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Additional free courses will be offered throughout OSHA Region III during the stand-down week. Morgantown area construction companies can also schedule a free, on-site, tool box talk on fall prevention for their employees during the week. Contact WVU Safety & Health Extension for more information on these additional class offerings.

To learn more about WVU Safety and Health Extension, visit www.safetyandhealth.ext.wvu.edu/ or call 1-800-626-4748.

-WVU-

bd/4/25/16

CONTACT: Brittany Dick, WVU Extension Service
304.293.8701, Brittany.Dick@mail.wvu.edu

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