OSHA Head Calls on Construction Industry to Embed Safety in Culture

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.

Related:12 Technologies That Can Make Jobsites Safer

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