Next week, from April 20th-24th, people nationwide will be celebrating the 20th National Work Zone Awareness Week.
This annual campaign kicks off every spring construction season. As one of the busiest times of the year for completing construction projects, this season is the perfect opportunity to highlight the importance of work zone safety.
Did you know? In the construction industry, struck-by injuries have been the leading cause of death as well as non-fatal injuries for nearly three decades. Our crews deserve better. To change these statistics, we all need to do our part to improve work zone safety.
Construction companies work hard to follow safety guidelines all year long. But for those recognizing National Work Zone Awareness Week, even greater attention is placed on safety with demonstrations and discussions throughout the workday. We at I Build America – Ohio, along with others in the construction industry, encourage all construction leads to take time out of the workday to facilitate various training sessions that cover everything from preventative measures to protective methods. This is each construction organization’s opportunity to highlight policies already in place and establish future safety goals for the team. Click here for workplace safety resources.
This year’s events, like everything this spring, will look a little different. But just because we can’t gather as a large group in person doesn’t mean we all can’t show our support for this important cause. After all, you or someone you know has probably worked or will work on a job site at one time, or, at the very least, you have driven by a road construction job site and will continue to do so throughout your life. Rather than in-person kickoff events and group gatherings, industry insiders and their supporters will take a more virtual route.
For those in the construction industry, we encourage you to join the free webinar with representatives from ARTBA, OSHA, NIOSH and Kraemer North America on April 20th. The “Virtual National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-By Incidents – Q&A Panel” will help you and your team prevent incidents on the job site and answer any questions you might have about struck-by hazards. Click here to register.
For every Ohioan, including both construction industry professionals and caring community members, join “Go Orange Day” on April 22nd. When you wear orange, you show your support for safety on and around roadway construction and honor those that have lost their lives while working in the work zones. We would love to see you in your orange on April 22nd. Tag us on Instagram @ibuildamerica_ohio or on Facebook with #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety.
No matter how you participate, we are asking all Ohioans to use extra caution while working on and driving past all road construction sites throughout Work Zone Awareness Week and all the weeks that follow. This mission doesn’t end here, just like our crews’ dedication hasn’t stopped. Construction has continued through the global pandemic. If they can continue to support our community’s wellbeing, we can too. Let’s show our support for our construction crews’ safety all year long, together.
