On Wednesday, September 18, 2020, Franjo Construction participated in a voluntary national safety event at one of its active job sites (7502 Thomas Blvd). According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees.” Both OSHA and Franjo know those deaths are preventable. In an effort to prevent them, the construction industry is encouraged to participate in the event. 

This was the 5th year in a row that Franjo participated in the event. Franjo’s Safety Director, Jay Celaschi, coordinated the event in partnership with WernerCo, who manufactures and distributes climbing equipment, access systems, fall protection equipment, and job site truck & van storage equipment. Brian Neely from WernerCo came out to perform demonstrations and educate the audience on current safety procedures. Members of the audience volunteered to strap into harnesses and allow others to answer questions about whether the harness was properly put on. Then, volunteers were hoisted up, one at a time throughout the 2-hour event, using a pulley, demonstrating as closely as possible the effects of hanging in a harness after a fall and what to do next. Brian did an excellent job of keeping the audience engaged while ensuring the information was conveyed thoroughly. 

In all, over 60 individuals came to the event.

It was sponsored by Franjo Construction, WernerCo, and American Producers Supply. The structure has several open floor spaces, which allowed for social distancing compliance. All members of the audience wore a face mask as well.

Coincidentally, the week of the event also happened to be Construction Appreciation Week and Construction Safety Week. It may seem obvious, but jobs in the field of construction come with physical risks. Even to those doesn’t perform this kind of work, the presentation was highly engaging and insightful. Our Social Media & Marketing Coordinator, Katie Meehan, attended the event and said:

“Visiting these active sites is amazing. Just looking at the size of the structure, hearing all the sounds, and then listening to Brian talk about the considerations for each of these tools… it really makes you appreciate what these people endure every day.”

Check out some photos from the event below, and for more information on the National Safety Stand-Down, visit https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/.