The Christman Company joined industry partners and workers this week to recognize the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, hosting a stand-down event at the project site of the new Tower on Grand, part of New Vision Lansing.
The 28-story project, managed by Christman, will become Lansing’s tallest building when completed and represents the largest downtown construction investment in more than 35 years. The project’s scale and complexity underscore the importance of proactively addressing safety risks on active jobsites.
The national Stand-Down brings attention to falls, which are the leading cause of fatal injuries in construction, and encourages open conversations about safety at worksites across the country. Although construction workers make up about 5% of the U.S. workforce, they account for more than 20% of jobsite fatalities, and nearly half of all fatal falls occur in construction, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Falls remain the biggest killer in our industry, year after year,” said Don Staley, Christman senior vice president of safety. “At Christman, safety is a core value, not a checkbox. We have these conversations because recognizing hazards is the first and most critical step to ensuring every worker goes home safe.”
The event was hosted in partnership with New Vision Lansing and included participation from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration and fall protection by Miller Fall Protection, whose representative led a hands-on demonstration on the proper use of fall protection harnesses. Speakers emphasized planning work safely, providing the right equipment and training workers on the foundations of fall prevention.
“On projects of this scale, safety has to be foundational,” said Paul Gentilozzi, owner of the project and New Vision Lansing. “What happens on the jobsite affects not only the work, but the people and families behind it. Events like this reinforce the responsibility we share to build safely, every time.”
Christman broke ground on the skyscraper in April of last year, with work expected to continue through 2027.
“The success of any build depends on a strong safety culture among everyone on site,” said John Gentilozzi, vice of development for Gentilozzi Real Estate. “And that commitment isn’t reserved only for the tallest and most impactful projects; it’s reflected every day, on every job.”
Christman sites across the country are holding similar stand-down events as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to safety and continuous improvement.