National Fall Safety Stand-Down

NAHB Supports OSHA’s Annual National Safety Stand-Down

OSHA is partnering with employers and trade associations on its National Safety Stand-Down for fall prevention in construction, which will take place May 1-5, 2023. The safety stand-down is designed to raise awareness about the hazards of falls, which are responsible for the highest number of deaths in the construction industry, contributing to 370 worker deaths in 2021 alone. Fall protection is also the most frequently cited OSHA violation each year.

What is a Safety Stand-Down?

A safety stand-down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about fall hazards and to reinforce the importance of fall protection.

Who Should Participate?

Anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the stand-down. In past years, participants included both small and large construction companies, residential construction contractors, sub- and independent contractors, trade associations, and safety equipment manufacturers.

Three Steps to Hold Your Own Stand-Down:

1. Plan ahead. Always schedule the stand-down ahead of time to maximize worker turnout. Jobsites follow strict schedules with tight deadlines, so it is important to schedule at a time convenient for all workers. TIP: Provide lunch as an incentive for participation.
2. Cover the basics. Choose a topic to use as the focus of the stand-down. Tailor the topic to the current jobsite priorities, such as scaffolding, ladder or roofing safety. TIP: Use free safety resources from NAHB for ideas and distribute the written handout materials:
   • NAHB Fall Protection Video Toolbox Talk (English and Spanish)
   • NAHB Roofing Safety Video Toolbox Talk (English and Spanish)
   • NAHB Ladder Safety Video Toolbox Talk (English and Spanish)
3. Hold your stand-down. Present the information to the workers, keeping it short and simple. Use visual aids or conduct hands-on demonstrations, such as how to put on a harness or inspect a ladder/scaffold. TIP: The safety information can be distributed digitally (through email and/or text).

Additional Resources

• NAHB’s Fall Protection Toolkit
• NAHB Video Toolbox Talks
• OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

NAHB Fall Prevention in Residential Construction Training Course: In partnership with the Job-Site Safety Institute, NAHB has developed a free four-hour online course for builders, trade contractors, supervisors and workers. This course will provide the user with information on the correct procedures and equipment usage, as well as give examples of incorrect applications of fall protection. This training program provides student attendees an understanding of the OSHA fall protection regulations and safe work practices to prevent fall-related injuries and deaths. The course is available at the NAHB Store.

FSL4RES Training Program: The Healthy Work Center at Washington University in St. Louis has created the Foundations for Safety Leadership for Residential Construction (FSL4Res), a new, freely available training program designed to teach safety leadership skills to foremen and other lead workers in residential construction. The program, which is based on the original Foundations for Safety Leadership program, emphasizes fall prevention depicts different safety scenarios and requires learners to decide which of the leadership skills can be used to prevent falls and address other worksite hazards. This course can be accessed on the CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training website.

Share Your Story

Post pictures and recaps on social media after the stand-down using the hashtags #Safety365 and #StandDown4Safety to show your support for NAHB and OSHA safety initiatives.