June is here and so is National Safety Month! This annual observance is sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC) to stress the importance of safety in, and outside, of the workplace and to highlight the leading causes of preventable injury and death. National Safety Month is a great opportunity to reinforce your organization’s commitment to workplace health and safety.
The themes for this year’s National Safety Month are:
- Week 1 (June 1-8), Safety Engagement: Safety engagement is essential for a successful safety program and week 1 focuses on how to promote active participation and awareness among employees. Ideas include using engaging and interactive methods for safety training, establishing safety committees, and including representatives from each department in safety inspections. The NSC provides a 5-Minute Safety Talk with tips for engaging employees to reduce workplace complacency and improve safety.
- Week 2 (June 9-15), Roadway Safety: According to the Department of Transportation (DOT) roadway fatalities had been declining consistently for 30 years, but progress has stalled over the last decade. Roadway safety-related resources provided by the NSC include safety tips when driving in work zones, how to navigate blind spots of larger vehicles, and steps to take when approaching a school bus. Important considerations for sharing the road safely with bicyclists and motorcyclists are also highlighted.
- Week 3 (June 16-22), Risk Reduction: One of the most common causes of workplace incidents is not proactively identifying or recognizing the hazards that are present, or that could have been anticipated. Being able to recognize hazards and implement appropriate controls is fundamental to reducing risk. NRC resources on risk reduction in the workplace and at home include a Being Safe Means Being Alert – All the Time Tip Sheet and links to various articles including one on Effective Incident Investigations and the role they play in hazard recognition and risk reduction.
- Week 4 (June 23-30), Slips, Trips, and Falls: Incidents related to slips, trips, and falls are a frequent cause of significant workplace injury; however, in many cases they are preventable. For working adults, depending on the industry, falls are often the leading cause of fatalities. The NRC’s National Safety Month website has links to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) injury data on falls to a lower level and falls on the same level and also includes links to fall prevention resources including a Falls from Heights Toolkit.
You can sign up on the National Safety Month website to get free materials to promote this event at your workplace. Public materials are also available from the NRC at this link including a new 2024 Participant Guide. There are great resources for each week’s theme including fact sheets, podcasts, webinars, training materials and more!
For additional information on National Safety Month, or for ideas about how to promote this event at your workplace, please contact us.
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Safety Partners’ Director of Quality, Research, and Training
