On Tuesday, May 6th, Sam Boak of Boak & Sons hosted a Stand-Down for Safety Day in support of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, at the Boak & Sons facility. The event, which lasted about two hours, was organized by The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Boak & Sons and SM.
What is Stand-Down for Safety Day?
OSHA established this day in 2014 as part of a campaign to raise awareness of fall hazards and fall prevention in the construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017. Sadly, most of these deaths were preventable.
OSHA now encourages employers across the country to participate in events that educate employees on fall prevention and fall protection hazards.
How did Boak & Sons participate?
With a focus on exterior contracting, much of the work done through Boak & Sons is off the ground. Whether it’s commercial or residential roofing, siding, gutters, or windows, crews work at higher elevations that demand enhanced safety measures and attention to detail. To help celebrate the day, Sam Boak brought in Matt Jensen of 3M to speak to the 125 Ohio roofing and construction industry professionals in attendance. 3M manufactures fall protection equipment, including full-body harnesses and more.
“We are always looking for ways to improve employee safety on job sites,” says Sam Boak, President of the Boak & Sons. “This includes buying the latest and best equipment, regular in-house maintenance and inspections, and continued training and resources for our crews. OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down Day is a great opportunity for us to highlight the risk of falls from elevation and take a proactive role in helping to prevent such tragedies.”
During the event Matt spoke about equipment inspection, proper donning of a harness, common equipment misuses, and fall protection. There was also a drop test demonstration showing the forces exerted on the body during a fall with different fall protection products. “Falls that occur at 20 feet or less are the most fatal falls in our industry,” says Matt Jensen. “It doesn’t have to be a 50 foot drop to get hurt.”
Event Wrap-Up
After the drop test, the event ended and attendees were free to ask questions and pick up additional information sheets. With fall prevention information fresh in their minds, employees continued their regular work day.
We host this event annually in the hopes that not only our employees but all construction personnel learn fall prevention and become more aware of safety hazards on site. Safety is our top priority at Boak & Sons and we will continue to host and organize events to prevent injuries in our field.
For more information about the safety standards and policies at Boak & Sons or the observance of OSHA’s National Stand-Down for Safety Day, please contact us direct at 330-793-5646.
