Get ready for National Safety Awareness Month

June is the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Safety Awareness Month, an annual observance to help keep people safe, at the workplace or any place.

The NSC has split up the month to focus on four topics, making it easier to implement safety measures on SMART/SMACNA jobsites and in training centers across the country and in Canada:

Week 1

Musculoskeletal Disorders

We’ve all heard, “lift with your knees, not with your back,” but sometimes it’s not that easy. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the leading cause of workplace injury and cost billions of dollars each year in workers’ compensation and lost productivity. Click here to read about ways to prevent MSDs from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Week 2

Workplace Impairment

Many times, people think of alcohol and drugs as being the only types of impairment an employee can experience on a job site or in everyday life. According to the NSC, mental distress, stress and fatigue can be equally as dangerous. Click here to read about what can be considered impairment at work by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Week 3

Injury Prevention

In 2020, more than 4 million workplace injuries required medical attention in the United States. Preventing injuries can mean everything from daily toolbox talks, education and stretches or diligence in usage of safety measures such as PPE, personal fall arrest systems and fall restraints, safety net systems, guardrails and ladders. For more information, visit the OSHA website.

Week 4

Slips, Trips and Falls

Falls are the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death. During week 4, the NSC will focus on the reduction of slips, trips and falls, as well as falls from heights and how technology can play a role in saving lives. Visit the National Safety Awareness Month website.

Visit the National Safety Awareness Month website for

more information on each week’s theme.

Helpline (877) 884-6227