Tag Archives: occupational safety

General Safety Issues

THIS IS NORTH AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH WEEK

 
NAOSH
“It is alarming that 13 people a day are dying from work related injuries. This is a serious problem that we find unacceptable,” ASSE President Richard A. Pollock, CSP, said.  The Laser Institute of America (LIA) will join with thousands of people and businesses worldwide, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Alliance Program participants, in raising awareness of the importance of being safe at work during the annual North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week  May 5-11, 2013, and Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) Day on May 8.

ASSE President Richard A. Pollock, CSP, says:  “These incidents can be prevented. ASSE looks forward to again working with OSHA, CSSE and the OSHA Alliance partners to increase awareness of this issue and providing information, best practices, resources, success stories and more during NAOSH Week to help prevent further workplace tragedies.

“In addition to the NAOSH Week activities, we urge all companies and organizations to take measures now to develop and implement management systems of control that include effective occupational safety and health programs aimed at preventing worker fatalities, injuries and illnesses,” Pollock said. The preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report for 2011 showed 4,609 people died from on-the-job injuries.  “These are 4,609 people who left for work in the morning and never returned home to their families,” Pollock said.

ASSE, CSSE and the OSHA Alliance partners work throughout the year to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. To illustrate this, the NAOSH 2013 theme is ‘Safe Workplaces for All’. In addition to activities scheduled throughout North America, the May 5 and 6th NAOSH kick-off events in D.C. will be held at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the National Gallery of Art and the National Zoo. The events will feature presentations on industry workplace safety and health efforts as well as recognizing the winners of the 11th annual ASSE kids’ ‘Safety-on-the-Job’ international poster contest for children aged 5-14. In addition to the poster contest winners, attending the events will be ASSE members and their families, federal and state officials, and officials from ASSE, CSSE and OSHA’s Alliance Program participants.

“NAOSH week is another tool we use to educate employers and employees on the positive benefits of protecting people, property and the environment and sharing best practices among our members and their employees all in an effort to continue to enhance workplace safety worldwide,” Gus Anibarro said today. “We urge other businesses and organizations to do the same.”

Past NAOSH Week events have included fleet safety classes, ergonomic awareness events, a workplace-oriented one-day free preparedness Web Expo, a laser safety seminar, roadway work zone safety programs, corporate workplace safety and health days, teen worker safety programs, city and state work safety fairs, symposiums on a variety of topics, projects to assist charities, personal protective equipment (PPE) fashion shows, and much more. Lamar Advertising also donates several billboards around the U.S. during NAOSH Week featuring ‘Safety-on-the-Job’ contest posters.

Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. http://www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

Promoting safety is Blog4Safety’s priority.  Owned by Texas America Safety Company, who has been providing quality safety products  for over 25 years, personal protective equipment is the last line of defense for America, Canada, and Mexico’s workers.  Keep your workers safe and bring down those statistics!

LIA, NAOSH

General Safety Issues

NAOSH WEEK – MAY 6 – 12, 2012

NORTH AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH WEEK – May 6 – 12, 2012 

NAOSH (North American Occupational Safety and Health )Week occurs every year during the first full week of May to raise awareness about occupational safety, health and the environment and safety, as well as health and engineering professions.  The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) joined with the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and partners in Mexico to promote awareness in North America during NAOSH Week. This is one tool the almost 100-year-old ASSE and its 32,000 SH&E members use throughout the year to promote occupational safety, aimed at preventing injuries and illnesses. Several organizations representing thousands of businesses have partnered with ASSE and CSSE to support NAOSH Week, including U.S. federal agencies such as the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

NAOSH Week began in 1997.  Canada originally began observing Occupational Safety and Health Week in 1986.  During the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) talks in 1997, the representative from Canada suggested that Mexico and the United States become involved in a similar endeavor.  Hence, this continent-wide event got its start. 

Each year ASSE urges everyone to get involved in NAOSH Week in order to better educate the public about the positive benefits a safe workplace provides not only for workers, but for their families, friends, businesses, local communities and the global community 

Wednesday, Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day is observed.  This began in 2007, with the goal of honoring occupational safety, health and environmental professionals who have dedicated their lives to protecting people, property and the environment.  

Occupational Safety and Health Professionals are dedicated to focus, reinforce and strengthen workforces to concentrate on staying safe and healthy on the job.  Among their many requirements are teaching things such as:

  • Team building and commitment.
  • Establishing safety committees.
  • Creating a safety-minded culture.
  • Improving attitudes toward safety.
  • Increase cooperation among workers.
  • Further understanding of the benefits of working safely and remaining healthy.
  • Reduce workplace injuries and illness.
  • Catastrophe awareness and preparedness.
  • Proper ergonomics in the workplace.
  • Fleet safety classes.
  • Preventing roadway crashes.
  • Mining safety.
  • Transportation safety. 

Safety Professionals encourage safety committees to ensure that company employees are properly trained and aware of the hazards presented in their particular job duties.  One very important piece of the safety puzzle is seeing that workers have the correct type of P.P.E. (Personal Protective Equipment).  Whatever P.P.E. is required, i.e., hardhats, ANSI safety glasses, gloves, fall arrest systems, etc., should fit correctly and always used when on the job.  Employees should understand the importance of taking care of their protective equipment and know when it should be replaced.

There are many ways of working safely and not taking chances.  We must endeavor to stay safe at work and on the job.  This is a good time to encourage new safety and health activities during NAOSH week, and thank the professionals that encourage safety. 

 

Source: NAOSH.org; Canadian Society of Safety Engineers

 

General Safety Issues

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY – 2012

Saturday, April 28th is International Workers Memorial Day.  It is a day when unions around the world campaign for improvements in workplace health and safety.  Started by the Canadian Union of Public Employees in 1984, and adopted by the Canadian Labour Congress the following year, the day has been officially recognized by more than twenty countries, including the USA and the UK.  The Canadian National Day of Mourning is also observed on this day.   The U.N. adopted the day in 1996. 

The following  information comes from r@w news, in Australia.  This day is one to remember workers who died, were injured or fell ill due to unsafe, unhealthy or unsustainable work and workplaces around the world.  The most updated information shows that there are almost 360,000 fatal occupational accidents in any year, and almost 2 million fatal work-related diseases.  Every day, more than 960,000 workers get hurt because of accidents, and on average 5,330 workers die because of work-related diseases.  April 28th should be commemorated for those who have lost their lives or their health at or because of their work; to raise awareness about the risk of disease, injury or death for workers in all sectors and countries; and to engage all workers and unions in a positive action day for dialogue, transformation, and progress on occupational safety. 

We checked out other announcements from countries that also commemorate this day, such as our own country, the United States.  The IAFF is encouraging its affiliates to observe Workers Memorial Day and National Day of Mourning on April 28, remembering those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe workplaces.  In 1989, April 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the day OSHA went into effect.  OSHA protects workers by instituting occupational health and safety standards that cultivate safe working environments and remove recognized hazards that may cause death or serious harm to workers.  The theme for the AFL-CIO for this year is “Safe Jobs Save Lives.” 

UNISON Scotland, Scotland’s biggest and liveliest trade union’s theme is “Cuts Cost Lives – Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living.  In the United Kingdom, IOSH feels that this  is the most important day of occupational safety and health calendar on the horizon.  They are encouraging persons to send in snapshots of themselves and their co-workers and describe “What does Workers’ Memorial Day Mean toYou?”  The images will then be uploaded to IOSH’s Twitter and Flickr accounts to give people around the world an insight into the real meaning of the Day. 

For your information, here are the countries that observe and promote this day around the world: Argentina, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, U.S.A., Ukraine and the United Kingdom.  In addition to which the Andean Community of countries has adopted this day on behalf of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and their associate member Venezuela. 

Whether you are union or non-union, chances are every one of us has known someone who died on the job.  We must do everything possible to encourage employers to make jobs safer for workers around the world.  Pause and be thankful on this day that is set aside to honor those who lost their lives simply doing their job.