In 1966, the National Safety Council declared June to be National Safety Month. National Safety Month is dedicated to hazard recognition, slip, trips, and falls, and fatigue and impairment. All of these topics are a great start to living and working in a safer environment.
Slips, trips, and falls
Slips and trips make up between 20%-40% of disabling workplace injuries. Falls are the second leading cause of workplace fatalities. Housekeeping is key to preventing slips and falls. Train to keep walkways free of liquids and debris. Falls remain the #1 OSHA citation among general industry and construction. All workers working from elevations should be trained properly with fall protection and prevention. Train awareness and proper use of fall protection.
Fatigue
The dangers of any job are escalated when a fatigued worker is performing a task. Over
the years, industries are bringing awareness to the hazards of sleep-deprived employees. The key to combating fatigue on the job is being proactive. Talk about it. Bring awareness. Encourage your employees to get a full night’s rest and take breaks when performing strenuous tasks. Performing a task fatigued can be just as dangerous as performing it impaired. The risks increase drastically.
Hazard recognition. You did it this morning driving to work. You saw the hazards of driving in the wrong lane. You saw the hazard of not stopping at that stop sign. Its human nature. It seems easy, right? But sometimes we just need help enhancing our
focus. One way to do this is by training workers to see hazards and develop a safety-conscious mind. Once you see a hazard, it's hard to unsee it. Simple pre-job inspections will bring awareness to the hazards and create a safer mindset when going about the task.
Be safe this month and every month of the year! If you need any assistance with your safety needs, STEP is happy to help. Contact us at (270) 753-6529 to assist in your needs.