Yesterday, the City of Pittsburgh declared May 3, 2016 to be "Harness Hero Day!"

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. In 2014, over 300 construction workers died as a result of a fall at work. These deaths were preventable with the proper use of fall prevention and fall protection. 

The Master Builders’ Association (MBA) worked with Simcoach Games to bring fall protection training to the modern day and created an app to train anyone with a smartphone or tablet. Titled Harness Hero, it’s not just a game but an innovative approach to saving lives in the construction industry. This gaming app will enhance the way construction companies deliver fall protection training (http://www.mbawpa.org/games.asp).

The timing of the Harness Hero declaration by City Councilman Daniel Gilman is perfect in that the industry is currently in the midst of OSHA’s National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Week. The purpose of the May 2-6 Stand-Down Week is to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction.

"The City of Pittsburgh has built a reputation for forging strong partnerships across all sectors, and the launch of Harness Hero exemplifies the power of collaboration between the business community and the city’s booming technology sector to keep employees safe," said Councilman Gilman. 

"It’s exciting to see the construction industry benefiting from our region’s strong technology sector to create a safety training app that can save lives," said Jack Ramage, executive director for MBA. "Pittsburgh has always been a pioneer when it comes to construction safety and now we’re utilizing advancements in technology to train professionals to be safer on the jobsite."  

To become a Harness Hero, search "Harness Hero" in your mobile device's application store.