June 2024: National Safety Month

June is recognized as National Safety Awareness Month and focuses to help "keep each other safe from the workplace to anyplace". It was established by the National Safety Council (NSC), a non-profit public service organization committed to eliminating the leading causes of injury across a variety of industries. This year’s event spotlights four crucial safety topics in workplace safety and beyond. Celebrate June National Safety Month by highlighting these issues in your workplace.

Week 1: Safety Engagement

The first week stresses the importance of a successful safety program by promoting active participation and awareness among employees. From interactive training methods to creating safety committees, The NSC offers tips for engaging employees to improve safety. We also offer tips in this Training Magazine article on how to ensure your workplace safety training program is effective.

Week 2: Roadway Safety

When it comes to roadway safety, the right equipment can keep you and your team protected no matter the worksite and weather conditions. The NSC goes over safety tips when driving in work zones and how drivers of larger vehicles can navigate blind spots. Among the traffic safety PPE we carry, the most popular are high-visibility clothing, including vests, jackets and rainwear, which help workers be seen and safe while working on the roads. Workers should remain present and aware of their surroundings. Nothing should block their vision or sound, in case they need to respond to sudden potential hazards.

Week 3: Risk Reduction

Reducing risks involves proper training that can help workers recognize hazards and implement appropriate controls. Each worksite is different and may require evaluating different controls. We've touched on the hierarchy of controls in several, including those in confined space and fall protection.

Week 4: Slips, Trips and Falls

Although slips, trips, and falls are preventable, they still occur frequently in the workplace. To lower the risks of these fall hazards, companies should avoid having their employees work on elevated surfaces if possible, or in slippery areas unless absolutely necessary. The safety manager should seek alternative solutions. In cases where alternatives are not feasible, workers need to wear the proper safety equipment to protect themselves from injury and everyone using this equipment must receive the proper training.

Choose footwear with additional traction designed for slippery surfaces to prevent slips. Guard rails can be used for additional stability and can be set up along the edge of the elevated surface, if possible, to protect workers from falling. Signs should be posted around slippery surfaces, warning workers if they need to avoid these areas.

Workers need to wear properly fitted and secure hard hats when operating at heights above six feet. All workers must be tethered to the elevated surface with a harness and lanyard to protect them in case of a fall. Employers need to measure the fall distance and select the right anchor point to ensure the harness effectively catches the worker if they fall. The team also needs a rescue plan to promptly retrieve and safely return any fallen worker to the ground within 15 minutes or less to avoid suspension trauma.

When working at height, tool tethering should be a common practice at the worksite. Workers below the elevated surface must also wear hard hats to protect themselves from falling debris. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using additional fall protection equipment and regularly inspect it to ensure it’s not damaged or in poor condition.

National Safety Awareness Month is all about protecting workers from preventable injuries. PK Safety has proudly done so for over 75 years. Not only do we offer thousands of products used in a variety of industries and have in-house gas detection calibration and repair services, we're also a valuable educational resource. Our blog and published articles in industry publications like ISHN, Construction Safety Magazine, and EC&M, share useful safety-related articles and answers to FAQs. If you or your team has questions on best practices or are looking for appropriate PPE, contact PK Safety’s worker safety experts.