Stand-Down event held in front of the U.S. Capitol
OSHA and Turner Construction join together for Fall Stand-Down
Restoration work at the U.S. Capitol Dome has been a prominent feature of the D.C. skyline for more than a year now. Inside an impressive 288-foot vault wrapped by a web of scaffolding, the dome's workers safely climb in and out every day making repairs to cracks in the iconic structure.
In the shadow of this historic project, on Wednesday, May 6, hundreds of construction workers stopped work and gathered in a park near the U.S. Capitol building to focus on their safety. The event was hosted by Turner Construction with support from the Architect of the Capitol, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
DOL Deputy Secretary Chris Lu challenged those gathered to "keep talking about fall hazards, keep educating and training your workers, and keep dedicating yourselves to preventing falls at your worksites. Together, we can ensure that at the end of every workday, every worker can go home safe."
Turner Construction representatives and safety experts addressed the audience, provided a review of fall protection and scaffold safety practices, and demonstrated proper use of fall protection equipment.
The restoration of the Capitol Dome is a multi-year project to repair more than 1,000 cracks and deficiencies to ensure that the dome will safely serve future generations of visitors and employees. Turner-Smoot is the lead contractor on this project, and the Architect of the Capitol is overseeing its completion.
About the Author
Caitlin Harwood is a writer/editor for the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA
Office of Communications.
