The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is calling on widespread participation in a number of activities that began on April 28 with the observance of Workers’ Memorial Day, an international day of remembrance for workers who died on the job.
“We often take for granted that our families will be safe and healthy at the end of the workday,” said ASSP President Rixio Medina. “But that assumption is far from reality given the many who are lost every day around the world as a result of work-related incidents.”
“These campaigns draw attention to the responsibility we all have to make our jobs safer and healthier," he added.
ASSP’s 38,000-plus members worldwide – who develop and implement safety and health management programs for employers in every industry – will be involved in the following safety observances.
May 5-11: Safety and Health Week - Created by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (and formerly known as North American Occupational Safety and Health Week), this observance encourages grassroots efforts at every organization in all industries to bolster workplace safety. (#SafetyAndHealthWeek)
May 6-10: Construction Safety Week – This campaign is led by an alliance of construction firms and it raises safety awareness on construction sites. Stand-downs and workplace presentations engage employees and offer important reminders about safe building practices. (#ConstructionSafetyWeek)
May 6-10: National Safety Stand-Down -The sixth-annual campaign to prevent falls in construction is led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in partnership with ASSP. Falls from height are a leading cause of death for construction workers. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on fall hazards and reinforce the importance of fall prevention. (#StandDown4Safety)
August 12-18: Safe + Sound Week– Spearheaded by OSHA, this campaign aims to connect safety and profitability. Safety and health management programs address workplace risks before they cause problems, improving a company’s bottom line. (#SafeAndSoundAtWork)