National Safety Month
Posted on June 5, 2023 in Firm News
June marks the beginning of National Safety Month, an optimal time to focus on reducing workplace fatalities and injuries before the summer rush. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), preventable injuries are the fourth leading cause of death nationwide. At least 4,472 workers were killed in workplace accidents in 2021, while another 4.26 million consulted with a doctor or health provider for work-related injuries.
To help educate and prevent injuries and accidents on the job, the NSC highlights a different safety topic each week throughout the month with information on how to protect yourself and your coworkers. These topics apply to all industries and are perfect for implementing in current or future safety meetings to help build a strong safety culture.
National Safety Month Weekly Safety
Each National Safety Month safety week has a toolkit, tip sheets, and articles you can sign up to receive to help businesses increase safety in the workplace. These topics are a great springboard for employers and managers looking to begin weekly safety meetings.
Here are the weekly topics for 2023:
Week 1: Emergency Preparedness
Emergencies can happen at any time on the job. While you can’t plan for everything, worksites can implement specific policies for the most common emergencies affecting their region and industry with action steps for employees to follow. Examples of emergencies to plan for include fires, exposure to hazardous chemicals or materials, workplace violence, medical issues, and natural disasters. Safety meetings can focus on current policies or create new ones to better protect workers on the job.
Resources to help with this topic:
- First Aid App
- Storm, Flood, and Hurricane Response
- Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance
Week 2: Slips, Trips and Falls
Falls remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities across all industries, especially in construction, accounting for 35% of all workplace fatalities. Fall injuries can occur during any task, no matter how extreme. Falls can include accidents from lower levels, same level, or elevated heights. They are more likely to happen in workplaces lacking fall protection, cluttered worksites, and unstable elevated platforms. Safety meetings for falls can focus on current fall hazards, possible fall hazards, and the means of fall protection to be used.
Resources:
Week 3: Heat-Related Illness
Heat-related illnesses are especially important to address in June when extreme heat has yet to settle in full force. Indoor and outdoor workers are equally at risk of heat-related illnesses and injuries, the most common being heat cramps, heat stroke, heat rashes, and heat exhaustion. These types of injuries happen quickly and require quick action when developing safety plans to protect workers from fatal heat exposure. Safety meetings can focus on the specific heat risks of each job, break frequencies, emergency protocols, and working to identify heat illnesses in yourself and co-workers before they get out of hand.
Resources:
Week 4: Hazard Recognition
Workplaces are full of hazards, most of which can be prevented. Hazards can be anything from toxic chemicals to heavy machinery to clutter on the work floor–anything that can cause a potential injury in the workplace. Some hazards are capable of causing serious and fatal injuries, requiring specific safety plans to keep workers safe when on certain tasks. Safety meetings can focus on reviewing common hazards of the specific industry and identifying new hazards that are causing workers concern.
Resources:
For more information on each safety week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a detailed breakdown on each National Safety Month topic.
Take the Pledge
Committing to safety with your coworkers can be empowering. Take the NSC National Safety Month Pledge at one of your safety meetings to start building a strong safety culture that everyone feels accountable for. You can find the SafeAtWork pledge here.
Spread Awareness of National Safety Month
Spreading awareness of National Safety Month doesn’t have to be limited to the workplace. You can share all the information you cover on the job on your social media platforms, with photos of the steps you take for a safer workplace and NSC social media graphics. Use the hashtag #GoGreenForSafety to connect with others and further grow the mission of creating safer workplaces.
Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein NYC Work Accident Attorneys
At the law firm of Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein, we have been fighting for New York City victims of work and construction accidents for over 60 years. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured on the job, contact one of our attorneys for a free consultation through our online form or call 212-227-1212.