Each June we celebrate National Safety Month! This annual observance is sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC) to stress the importance of safety at, and away from, the workplace, and to highlight the leading causes of preventable injuries and fatalities. National Safety Month is a great opportunity to reinforce your organization’s commitment to workplace health and safety.
The weekly themes for this year’s event are:
- Week 1 (June 1-7), Continuous Improvement: The focus during week 1 is the importance of continually striving to improve safety in the workplace. Per the NSC, continuous improvement involves an active approach to seeking ways to reduce risk. Committing to ongoing improvement within an organization can help identify and mitigate hazards earlier, often before an incident occurs. They stress that continuous improvement efforts go beyond compliance to proactively identify and mitigate hazards. Included in the resources that the NSC provides are a continuous improvement quiz and a 5-Minute Safety Talk on introducing the job safety analysis (JSA) process as a means to promote safety improvements.
- Week 2 (June 8-14), Employee Engagement: Employee engagement is essential for a successful safety program, and week 2 focuses on how to promote active participation and awareness among employees at all levels. The NSC recommends using hands-on and interactive methods for safety training, establishing safety committees, and having representatives from each department participate in safety inspections. The NSC offers helpful resources including a 5-Minute Safety Talk with tips to help reduce workplace complacency and improve safety as well as an interactive quiz on supporting workplace safety engagement.
- Week 3 (June 15-21), 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. The NSC highlights the importance of focusing on all aspects of driver safety including distracted and impaired driving as well as speeding. Resources provided for week 3 include a 5-Minute Safety Talk on driver safety both on and off the job. Other materials provide information on 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 4 (June 22-30), Wellbeing: Week 4 explores the connection between employee wellbeing and safety. According to the NSC, a comprehensive approach to workplace safety must factor in the underlying causes leading, or contributing, to injuries. The impact of many wellbeing-related risks to workplace safety and health should be considered when prioritizing safety for the whole worker. These include fatigue, stress, substance abuse, and mental health. NSC resources include workplace wellbeing videos, webinars, and a 5-Minute Safety Talk.
You can register to get additional free materials to promote National Safety Month at your workplace. For more information or for ideas about how to incorporate this year’s themes into your safety program, please contact us.
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Safety Partners’ Director of Quality, Research, and Training.
