Sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), NAOSH Week activities are designed to promote the importance of safety and health on the job throughout North America and with worldwide partners.
First, you can share with workers these statistics about why safety training matters:
- Every year, more than 4,500 employees in this country die from workplace injuries.
- About 50,000 die from illnesses caused by exposure to workplace hazards.
- Every year, more than 4.1 million workers suffer a serious job-related injury or illness.
- Those injuries cost U.S. businesses about $250 billion.
That’s why training is a key component of safe workplaces worldwide. NAOSH Week, therefore, is a good opportunity to reaffirm your organization’s commitment to safety training by giving your employees a general safety overview. Remind them that there are a number of hazards on the job that fall mostly into three categories:
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- Equipment. Broken, defective, or improperly maintained equipment can cause injuries. As can the wrong equipment for the job and incorrectly used equipment.
- People. Workers without proper knowledge or skills are a serious hazard to themselves and coworkers. As are workers with a poor safety commitment.
- Environment. Work areas that are too hot or cold or noisy can be hazardous. As can areas with poor housekeeping or ventilation.
Your organization minimizes these hazards by keeping the facility in good condition, installing the right kind of equipment and maintaining it properly, and by conducting ongoing training.
Recognizing hazards is key to avoiding accidents. Review hazard warnings in your workplace, such as DANGER signs, HARD HAT AREAs, safety data sheets (SDSs), or container labels. Workers need to always obey hazard instructions in your company. In addition, workers can avoid incidents by practicing basic safety practices, such as inspecting tools, equipment, machinery, and protective clothing and equipment before using them.
For more information, visit the NAOSH Week website.
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In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll give more training material for NAOSH Week, plus present a valuable safety training resource in PowerPoint®.