April 21, 2023

Upcoming fall prevention stand-down, OSHA's Beat the Heat contest, Construction Safety Week and more

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Fall prevention stand-down begins May 1

The tenth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will take place on May 1-5. OSHA is partnering with several other safety organizations to provide educational materials and free events to encourage employer participation. Businesses can download a certificate of participation on the event’s website page.

OSHA launches contest to improve heat exposure controls

OSHA has launched a new contest aimed at raising awareness and encouraging innovation related to heat exposure. To enter the Beat the Heat contest, stakeholders can submit any awareness tools or resources that would assist with education on heat hazards. A panel of experts will judge submissions based on several award categories. Entries are due by June 9.

OSHA seeks public input on whistleblower program

OSHA will host a virtual meeting on May 10 to gather public comments on the outreach and training initiatives that support the federal whistleblower laws. The meeting will be available in English and Spanish. Those interested in attending must register by May 3.

Studies, resources, trends, news

Construction Safety Week kicks off May 1

The Associated General Contractors of America is hosting Safety Week May 1-5. The organization offers several training resources, including toolbox talks, streaming videos, presentations and job site banners.

Report looks at offshore oil safety since Deepwater Horizon

A new report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine examines safety developments since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The report discusses several industry improvements including the creation of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Center for Offshore Safety. However, the report also concludes that the industry is still lacking a strong safety culture.