JLG Industries, Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company and a manufacturer of aerial work platforms and telehandlers, is supporting National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down Week, May 6-10 through internal stand-down events and external education with customers and end users. In coordination with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), JLG strongly supports these national efforts, which focus attention on preventing falls, the leading cause of workplace injuries.

JLG encourages all access and construction related industries to make devoted time this week for safety demonstrations, including hazard recognition, fall prevention and a review of company safety policies, goals and expectations for employees. While this awareness is critical during every workday, OSHA’s stand-down week should serve as a reminder of the importance of safety talks.

“With consistent and proper training that encourages employees to make safer decisions about work at height, falls can be reduced or altogether avoided,” said Rick Smith, JLG senior director of global product training.” “Safety education is a team effort to which everyone must commit.”

According to OSHA research, 20 percent of workplace fall injuries involve a ladder, and in the construction industry, that number grows to more than 80 percent. Those statistics lead to more than 90,000 emergency room visits for ladder-related injuries.

While training is one way to reduce these statistics, selecting the proper equipment for working at height is another. JLG manufactured the world’s first boom lift 50 years ago, pioneering the access industry and creating a safer way to elevate workers on job sites. Although the company was founded on the manufacture of larger equipment, today JLG also focuses on more compact units that take the place of ladders and scaffolding.

“JLG is committed to offering equipment solutions that reduce ladder and scaffolding injuries, including its popular low-level access product lineup,” said Randy Marzicola, JLG director of channel development. “These products not only offer safer alternatives to ladders because of enclosed platforms and tie-off points for harnesses, they also have the power to improve productivity by reducing worker fatigue caused by ladders.”

The national safety stand-down is part of OSHA’s fall prevention campaign and was developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Occupational Research Agenda, and The Center for Construction Research and Training.

For more information about JLG, visit the website at www.jlg.com.