OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down

March 27, 2024

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction scheduled for May

  • OSHA is gearing up for its 11th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, scheduled for May 6-10, 2024.
  • OSHA describes its Safety Stand-Down as a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety.
  • The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction focuses on fall hazards and was created to reinforce the importance of fall prevention.
  • To help employers prepare for this year’s event, OSHA has developed a page that answers frequently asked questions about how to conduct a Safety Stand-Down, who can participate, how to receive a certificate of participation and other information.
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Another Cirque artist injured in Las Vegas

  • After a Cirque du Soleil artist was paralyzed in an on-stage accident during “O” at Bellagio, another cast member was injured in the same act.
  • The performer fell from another performer’s shoulders during the show’s Island scene and head struck his head on a barge-designed set piece.
  • The show reportedly paused for about 50 minutes as the artist underwent mobility tests behind the curtain, before being taken from the stage in a wheelchair.
  • In December, OSHA reported two “serious” violations after a review of Cirque’s operational practices at the Bellagio.
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Texas healthcare facilities have to adopt a workplace violence plan

  • By Sept. 1, 2024, covered Texas healthcare facilities are required to adopt a workplace violence prevention plan and a workplace violence prevention policy in compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 240, now Chapter 331 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
  • When lawmakers passed SB 240 last year, Texas joined states such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Washington, among others, in enacting a law to respond to workplace violence against healthcare workers.
  • Currently, there is no federal law or regulation that specifically addresses workplace violence in healthcare.
  • OSHA currently relies on its catch-all standard, the General Duty Clause in Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, for enforcement in instances of hazards related to workplace violence.
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Guide to minimize healthcare worker burnout

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s NIOSH has released an evidence-based guide for hospital leaders to improve healthcare-worker well-being: Impact Wellbeing Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Wellbeing.
  • The guide is the newest addition to the Impact Wellbeing Campaign, launched in October 2023, and provides a step-by-step process for hospitals to start making organizational-level changes that the CDC expects will impact and improve the mental health of their employees.
  • Workers are at an increased risk for mental health challenges and choosing to leave the health workforce early. NIOSH and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation developed the guide to help executive-level hospital leaders make powerful workplace improvements quickly.
  • Taking into account the realities that many hospital systems face when it comes to finding additional time, funds, and staff to implement the work.
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