Region 4 Emphasis Program
Falls in Construction
 

Mission: To reduce construction accidents and fatalities in Region IV resulting from falls to lower levels.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published data showing that, nationwide, there were 733 fatalities in 2000 resulting from falls to a lower level, accounting for over twelve percent of all fatal injuries in all workplaces.  One-fifth of the fatal falls were from or through roofs.  Falls from ladders and falls from scaffolds each accounted for one-seventh of the total.  Other common work surfaces from which fatal falls occurred included: stairways, open-sided floors (unprotected sides and edges), stacked materials, building girders, or other structural steel, and nonmoving vehicles.

In Region IV, in 2001, 83 fatalities resulted from falls which was 33% of all the fatalities region wide. Fifty-eight of those fatalities were in construction accounting for 70% of all fall fatalities.  To further reduce fatalities in the construction industry in Region IV, OSHA added a Regional Emphasis Program to focus on fall hazards. This compact disk is one of OSHA's outreach tools developed to assist all construction contractors to recognize hazards they and their employees encounter regularly in the construction industry while working in areas where fall hazards may exist.

For a listing of the OSHA Area Offices within Region 4, please click on the image to the left.

For OSHA information, please feel free to visit the OSHA website at www.osha.gov or contact your local OSHA Area Office.