The 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will be held May 4th-8th, 2026, coinciding with Construction Safety Week. Both events are calls to action to increase safety awareness in construction and to prevent falls-a continuing leading cause of death for construction workers.
Construction Safety Week 2026 is a unified call to action on high energy and high hazard work to prevent serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs).
By aligning terminology and adopting a consistent approach across the construction industry, every worker can:
• Recognize high-energy, high-hazard dangers-also referred to as Stuff That Can Kill You (STCKY) and that lead to serious injuries and fatalities.
• Respond to recognized hazards by putting direct controls in place during the planning phase.
• Respect these hazards by planning and executing direct controls at every step of the project.
If something changes, stop, reassess, and replan.
Each day of Construction Safety Week has a specific topic:
Monday: Recognize.
Recognize high-energy hazards that are present on a job.
Tuesday: Respond.
Responding comprises what occurs when a hazard is identified. According to Construction Safety Week, the strongest protection happens when hazardous energy is eliminated, reduced, or isolated through planning, engineered safeguards, and verified field conditions before work begins.
Wednesday: National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls.
Thursday: Respect.
Planning is critical to a construction project. Significant safety incidents can occur when the established plan is not followed or is not reassessed if conditions change. Respecting the plan encompasses creating a safety culture where each worker feels empowered to speak up, use Stop Work Authority and collaborate across every phase of a project.
Friday: Safety Week Wrap Up.
Early hazard recognition, use of tools like the Energy Wheel, and applying the Hierarchy of Energy Control in planning and inspections keep high energy risks managed and workers safer.
Meanwhile, according to OSHA, fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 389 of the 1,034 construction fatalities recorded in 2024 (BLS data), and were preventable. Thus, the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.
Companies can conduct a safety stand-down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or other safety activity (such as conducting safety equipment inspections, talking about ways to prevent falls, developing rescue plans, or discussing specific job hazards). For more information on the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, how to participate or how to host an event, go to https://www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down.
OSHA is partnering with key groups to assist with the 2026 fall prevention stand-down, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), OSHA approved State Plans, State consultation programs, the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the National Safety Council, the National Construction Safety Executives (NCSE), the U.S. Air Force, and the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers.
