Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction
Falls are the number one cause of construction-worker fatalities, accounting for one-third of all on-the-job deaths in the industry. In 2019, there were 401 fall fatalities out of 1,102 total fatalities in construction (BLS data). Falls are a hazard found in many work settings, but construction has the most fatal falls out of all industries and represents 51% of all falls nationally.*
Safety Pays, Falls Cost
Credit Turner Construction
Earl Dotter CPWR
Construction falls can be deadly, but they are also preventable. The best in the business play it safe. Companies can prevent falls from heights on their worksites.
- Plan ahead to do the job safely before starting each and every job.
- Provide the right equipment for working at heights.
- Train workers to use the equipment properly and to work safely on roofs, ladders, and scaffolds.
Join the National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction
In 2012, NIOSH, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and CPWR – the Center for Construction Research and Training along with the NORA Construction Sector Council launched a National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction. It is a nationwide initiative to prevent falls at construction sites. Companies can participate and find valuable resources. Visit the NIOSH National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction page for more information.
Resources and Tools
NIOSH Mast Climbing Work Platform Daily Inspection Walkthrough Tool
NIOSH FACE (Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation) Program: Search “Residential Construction Falls” or “Commercial Construction Falls” to see factors that led to those fatal injuries and recommendation for preventing similar deaths.
* Socias-Morales CM, Chaumont Menéndez CK, Marsh SM. Fatal work-related falls in the United States, 2003-2014. Am J Ind Med. 2018;61:204–215. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22810