WASHINGTON, D.C. — OSHA’s chief called on builders to recommit to a culture of safety at a national stand-down to prevent falls in construction Wednesday on the National Mall as part of 2024 Construction Safety Week.
“This is a responsibility of everyone to take a values-driven approach to health and safety and embed it in the culture of their work, from the top of the organization to the bottom,” Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker told Construction Dive during the event.
In 2022, about 38% of construction deaths were due to falls, slips and trips, and construction accounted for close to half of all fatal falls, slips and trips among all industries that year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Parker put the context of the event with Mother’s Day this weekend, saying he had just been in a meeting in a room full of families of workers who had been killed on the job. He implored those present — workers and leaders from companies such as Gilbane, Turner and Balfour Beatty — to think about their families and loved ones as additional motivation to maintain a safe workplace.
“OSHA can’t change the culture around fall protection and fall hazards just by writing citations," he told the group.
Parker told Construction Dive that the agency only has a limited pool of inspectors, but employers still have a moral and legal obligation to protect workers, he said. To help companies with that obligation, Parker said, OSHA tries to help through outreach programs, small business consultation and hazard-specific events such as the stand-down.
Following the speech and a raffle where workers won new gear, the attendees viewed a fall prevention demonstration.
Part of the goal of Construction Safety Week is to remind workers to speak up about hazards. Parker said employers should not just ask workers to speak up, but communicate it as an expectation.
“Because if you don't set the culture, people aren't going to speak up because you know what? If you're an employer, your intentions are irrelevant. Your motivations are irrelevant. It's what that employee thinks about what's going to happen if they speak up. That's important,” he said.
