How does your safety calendar look? Well, let us check it out.
We are over two weeks into National Safety Month. How many of you celebrated your safety and health management system in honor of National Safety Month? Most did not. Why is it even essential to do so? Promoting safety and health among your workers and management gives the system importance and respect.
Establishing a calendar of events for management and workers to participate in increases participation in the safety and health system. This participation goes toward building an all-important safety culture. So, let us take out that pencil and calendar and get to work.
June
National Safety Month
Been around since 1966. The advantage is that free safety resources from the National Safety Council (NSC) exist. NSM has provided a month’s worth of free safety resources highlighting leading causes of preventable injury and death. See the link for free resources: https://www.nsc.org/workplace/national-safety-month
There is still time for this one! 2024 Trench Safety Stand Down. What is a Safety Stand Down?
A Safety Stand-down allows employers to discuss safety directly with employees and others. These Stand-Downs will focus on trench and excavation hazards and reinforce the importance of trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards.
For more information and how to participate, click on the link below: https://nuca.com/tssd/
July
We already know that it is going to be hot! OSHA is pushing hard for its Heat Illness Prevention Program. One way is to plan to participate in the OSHA Beat the Heat National Contest.
In 2023, OSHA sponsored the ‘Beat the Heat’ communications contest to raise awareness of the dangers and hazards of heat exposure in indoor and outdoor workplaces. OSHA is sponsoring the ‘Beat the Heat’ photo contest this year. This photo contest challenges stakeholders to capture an image of how to work safely in the heat and share it with OSHA.
The goal of the photo contest is to highlight the effective strategies that stakeholders are using to protect workers from the heat. OSHA wants stakeholders to see heat safety in action and encourage them to adopt similar practices. Many types of images would be appropriate for this contest.
To register and participate in this campaign, click on the following link: https://www.osha.gov/heat/national-heat-contest
Fireworks
Remember the Fourth of July 2024!
Employers can promote the safe use of fireworks using the resources on OSHA’s website, especially in the retail market.
Summer is synonymous with barbecues, parades, and fireworks. The National Safety Council advises everyone to enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals and not to use any fireworks at home. They may be legal, but they are not safe.
Every year, thousands of people are injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents, with many of the injuries to children and young adults. While most of these incidents are due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade, or other illegal fireworks or explosives, less powerful devices like small firecrackers and sparklers can also cause significant injuries.
Additionally, fireworks start an average of 19,000 fires each year.
For information and resources, see the following links: https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/summer-safety/fireworks
https://www.osha.gov/pyrotechnics
August
OSHA’s Safe and Sound Campaign
Safe + Sound is a year-round campaign encouraging every workplace to have a safety and health program. What does it mean to be Safe + Sound? Safe workplaces are sound businesses.
Every workplace should have a safety and health program that includes management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards. Whether you have a well-developed program or are just starting, look for ways to be #SafeAndSoundAtWork.
A growing number of companies and their workers get involved each year. Here is the link: https://www.osha.gov/safeandsound
September
National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.
This September, Ready Campaign’s 2024 National Preparedness Month will focus on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell highlights why it is vital for this diverse community to prepare for disasters and build resilience before disaster strikes.
- In 2021, FEMA’s Ready Campaign and the Ad Council broke ground by producing the first-ever national preparedness campaign specifically targeting the Latino community for National Preparedness Month. Released during Hispanic Heritage Month, the advertisements centered around the Latino community’s commitment to personal planning for occasions and family milestones as a bridge to disaster planning.
- To continue these efforts, the National Preparedness Month campaign in 2022 featured a call to action for the Black and African American communities.
- The 2023 Ready Campaign focused on Older Adults.
Here is the FEMA website for more information: https://www.ready.gov/september
National Farm Safety and Health Week
This event focuses on equipment safety, health, and wellness in agriculture.
The 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous in America, with 453 fatalities. Fall harvest time can be one of the agriculture industry’s busiest and most hazardous seasons.
For this reason, the third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week. This annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council has been proclaimed as such by each sitting U.S. President since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.
Here is the link for more information: https://www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek
October
National Protect Your Hearing Month
OK, listen up! This event will help you learn how to prevent noise exposure and damage at work.
Occupational hearing loss is permanent but preventable. Learn more about work-related hearing loss by hitting this link: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noise/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/
By the way, it has a great noise level meter app that is free to download. I hope this information was helpful. Start the safety calendar today and get everyone involved in your organization’s safety and health management system. Part two of “How does your safety calendar look?” will be out next month.
For more information on safety staffing and how you can protect yourself and your employees with a structured safety calendar contact us today.