The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Safe + Sound Campaign is a week-long event that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America’s workers safe. OSHA created the program in response to the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s statistics that show more than 5,000 workers are killed on the job (a rate of 14 per day), and more than 3.6 million suffer a serious job-related injury or illness.
Safe + Sound week will be held August 10-16 and both management and employees can benefit. Companies can find a variety of plans already developed on OSHA’s website, and they can adapt them for their own needs.
Why?
Serious job-related injuries or illnesses affect workers, families and businesses. But by implementing a health and safety program, companies can improve their performance and save money.
Workers often know the most about potential hazards associated with their jobs. When they are involved in finding solutions, they feel invested.
Workers can participate in various ways, including:
- Developing the initial program design.
- Reporting incidents (including near misses) so they can be investigated.
- Analyzing hazards associated with routine and nonroutine jobs, tasks, and processes.
- Defining and documenting safe work practices.
- Conducting site inspections and incident investigations.
- Training current coworkers and new hires.
- Evaluating program performance and identifying ways to improve it.
Top management can demonstrate its commitment in many ways, including:
- Developing and communicating a safety and health policy statement.
- Providing the resources needed to implement and operate the program.
- Factoring health and safety into operational planning and decisions.
- Recognizing or rewarding safety and health contributions and achievements.
- Leading by example, by practicing safe behaviors and making safety part of daily conversations.
Management and workers should also be encouraged to keep up-to-date with relevant safety training courses. Easybook Training can guide companies and businesses to finding the perfect course, at the exact date needed, whether online or in-person. Easybook Training has a variety of health and safety courses available to book. Take a look today to improve your tomorrow.
Safe + Sound Week statistics
1.7 million workers received safety and health resources during last year’s event
3,373 businesses held Safe + Sound events
1,072 people mentioned Safe + Sound Week on social media last year
