Put the Focus on Safety During NAOSH Week, May 4-10

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH Week) runs from May 4-10 and is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE).

This is a week to put the spotlight on workplace safety and focus on how you and your employees can prevent injuries and illness on the job. It’s also a good time to remind your management that safety is, according to ASSE, “good business. Safety and health not only add value to a business, but to the workplace, employees, the community, and to everyone’s quality of life.” And that’s good for your business.

A safe workplace costs less to run.

Also good for business is the fact that effective safety and health management can reduce your injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent, according to ASSE. That’s because preventing injuries and illnesses:

• Decreases workers’ compensation and other insurance costs
  
• Cuts down on retraining costs when you have to replace injured workers
  
• Reduces absenteeism
  
• Improves product and service quality
  
• Increases productivity
  
• Improves morale

What have you got planned for NAOSH Week?

If you don’t already have some events planned to promote safety and health during NAOSH Week, here are a few suggestions:

• Hold safety meetings in every department and work group to talk about key safety initiatives your organization has planned for this year.
  
• Set up safety demonstrations in different parts of your facility to encourage safe work practices.
  
• Invite guest speakers to talk to groups of employees about workplace safety and health issues.
  
• Conduct training sessions that focus on major workplace hazards.
  
• Include information about safety in your organization’s newsletter, website, intranet, payroll stuffers, bulletin boards, and other channels of communication between management and employees.
  
• Focus attention on employees’ safety improvement suggestions, perhaps having an awards ceremony to spotlight the best suggestions of the year.

Why It Matters…

–ASSE says that businesses spend $171 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illness.
–These expenditures come straight out of profits and can make up as much as 5 percent of an organization’s total costs.
–Preventing workplace injuries and illness ultimately increases profits and creates a stronger, more competitive organization, prepared to handle whatever challenges you may face.