OSHA to host annual Safe + Sound Week

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of worker deaths and reported injuries in the U.S. has decreased by more than 60 percent in the nearly five decades since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed. However, every year, 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.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is holding its annual nationwide Safe + Sound Week Aug. 12-18 this year to promote safety programs and highlight their importance.

OSHA says safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line.

Employers can use Safe + Sound Week to get safety programs started, energize an existing one or recognize their safety successes.

Businesses can participate by registering their event or program online, which OSHA tracks on an interactive map. Nearly 1,200 participants had registered by Aug. 2 of this year, and last year, OSHA says more than 2,700 businesses participated. 

OSHA also has resources to help businesses plan and promote events, including graphics, example activities and stories about previous participation programs.

OSHA says every good safety program needs to have three components: management leadership, worker participation and a systematic process for finding and fixing workplace hazards. For more information on each of those components and resources on how to effectively implement them, visit OSHA’s website.