OSHA is urging employers to show their commitment to job safety and the bottom line with a new national observance starting Monday, June 12.
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Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event to raise awareness and understanding of the value of safety and health programs based on management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards. The idea behind the event, says OSHA, is that safe workplaces are sound businesses. Successful safety and health programs help proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line. OSHA says participating in Safe + Sound Week can help a business get a program started, or energize an existing one.
Organizations of any size in any industry are invited to participate. To get started, visit the OSHA Safe + Sound web page, https://www.osha.gov/safeandsoundweek. Review and select activities that will work best at your site or company. Once you’re completed your events, you can download a certificate and web page to recognize your involvement. Examples of activities and events:
- A safety and health message delivered by management.
- Recognition of workers and teams for special contributions to workplace safety.
- Spotlighting hazards and controls in place.
- Hosting a public event to bring attention to safety.
OSHA emphasizes that a program approach is the best way to reduce the more than four million serious job-related injuries or illnesses that occur each year. These incidents don’t just hurt workers and their families, but can harm businesses in a variety of ways. Companies spend $1 billion per week on workers’ compensation—funds that could be better invested in growing small businesses and creating jobs.