Photo provided by Knik Construction.

ne of the most dangerous aspects of construction work is working at elevation. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2021 recorded 378 fatalities due to falls from elevation; that’s more than a third of the 986 construction fatalities recorded that year.

Those deaths could have been prevented.

The National Safety Stand-Down, held May 1-5, is a yearly national event aimed at raising awareness of fall hazards and preventing fall fatalities and injuries.

The Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly with employees about safety, particularly focusing on fall hazards and prevention. But even companies with employees who are not exposed to fall hazards can join the event, using it as an opportunity to talk with workers about other job hazards they face.

AGC of Alaska held its own Safety Stand Down competition through a photo contest. Companies were asked to take a photo of their crew during a Stand Down event focusing on safety or fall prevention. Three companies submitted photos for the competition and a committee chose which photo best represented the goals of the Stand Down week.

Mac Stevens with ASRC Construction was the event’s winner this year. He won a gift card from AGC, a basket of safety gear, and a plaque with the winning photo on it, sponsored by ENSTAR.