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National Lighting Safety Awareness Week
This Awareness Week was started in 2001, dropping lightning fatalities in the U.S. from about 55 annually to less than 30! This reduction is largely due to a greater awareness to the danger and hazards of lightning and teaching people how to seek safety and shelter during thunderstorms. During the Awareness Week, each day focuses on a specific lighting safety topic.
Check out the daily topics:
Introduction: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Introduction.html
Science: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Science.html
Outdoors: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Outdoors.html
Indoors: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Indoors.html
Sports: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Sports.html
Medical: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Medical.html
Home: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/LSC-LSAW-Building-Protection.html
Heat Awareness Week, May 16th—22nd
OSHA has instituted a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to focus on heat hazards and the threat of heat-related
illness. The NEP encourages employers to protect workers from heat hazards by providing employee access to water, rest, shade, adequate training, and implementing acclimatization procedures for new or returning employees. It contains both enforcement and outreach/compliance assistance components. The NEP establishes heat priority days when the heat index is expected to be 80°F or higher. On these priority days, OSHA field staff will engage in proactive outreach and technical/compliance assistance to help keep workers safe on the job. Do your part to protect yourself and your coworkers from overheating—stay COOL!
Check out the OSHA website for more information:
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Each April, the National Safety Council (NSC) promotes ways to be aware of how we can so easily become distracted behind the wheel. Motor vehicle deaths actually increased during the COVID-19 pandemic—2020 is estimated to have the highest fatality cases in 13 years! Commit to your safety by being intentional and focused while you are driving. Sign the NSC Just Drive Pledge and stay safe on the road! Also during April is National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 26-30! Join SCTMC for Flagger Training and learn how to keep drivers safe on the road in work zones!
Check out the websites and information at:
https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/
https://nsc.org/newsroom/motor-vehicle-deaths-2020-estimated-to-be-highest
Ladder Safety Month
Ladders are important to help workers access elevated heights, however, they present a serious fall hazard when used incorrectly. Each year the American Ladder Institute dedicates the entire month of March to offer specific training and promote safe ladder practices.
This year the focus will be:
Week One: Choosing Your Ladder
Week Two: Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up)
Week Three: Safety While Climbing
Week Four: Safety at the Top
Check out the American Ladder Institute website:
https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/
SCTMC offers Articulated Ladder Safety and can create any other type of ladder training that you may need!
Tinnitus Week
The British Tinnitus Association promotes awareness for tinnitus each year in February. Tinnitus is the term for the sensation of hearing a sound in the absence of any external sound. Symptoms of tinnitus are you may hear different types of sound, for example, ringing, whooshing or humming or buzzing in the ear. These can be continuous or they can come and go. The tinnitus might seem like it’s in one ear or both, in the middle of the head or even be difficult to pinpoint. Some people may think the noise is coming from outside and hunt for it until they discover it’s actually inside them! Though tinnitus has not been officially linked to noise exposure, it is still very important to maintain work environments that have a noise level under 84 dBA. The British Tinnitus Association has information all about understanding and managing tinnitus and even possible methods of prevention!
Check out the websites at:
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/Listing/Category/tinnitus-week-2022
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. There is no cure for glaucoma—yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. The appropriate treatment depends upon the type of glaucoma among other factors. Early detection is vital to stopping the progress of the disease. Anyone can get glaucoma, but those at higher risk include:
– Everyone over age 60, especially Hispanics/Latinos
– African Americans over age 40
– People with a family history of glaucoma
It is important for everyone, especially people at higher risk
for glaucoma to get a dilated eye exam every year!
Check out the websites at:
Suspect & Counterfeit Items & Electrical
Safety During the Holidays
The Department of Energy Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security has issued information about how to avoid the purchase of suspect or counterfeit electrical items. Make sure to look for symbols on the packaging that the item has been tested and approved through one of the common Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories:
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL), and CSA Group (CSA).
Check out the websites at:
https://doeopexshare.doe.gov/lesson/38019
https://www.osha.gov/nationally-recognized-testing-laboratory-program/current-list-of-nrtls
Thanksgiving Safety Tips
According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. Make sure that you know some basic safety tips for the kitchen, including:
~ Don’t use water on a grease fire! Smother the flame with a pan lid, if possible
~ Stay in the kitchen when frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food
Check out the NFPA website at:
https://www.nfpa.org
Check out the safety tips at:
Protect Your Hearing Month
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels, which is considered a hazardous noise level. NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has useful information to keep you informed about noise exposure and how to protect your hearing. Find answers to some of your questions such as:
~ How can I tell if the noise is too loud?
~ How often should my hearing be tested?
~ Where can I get information about ringing in my ears?
Check out the website at:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/
National Preparedness Month
Every September, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sponsors National Preparedness Month and provides information to raise awareness about disaster preparation and emergencies. This year they have partnered with the Ad Council to reach communities that may have been previously underserved. The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” There are weekly themes to focus on a different aspect of preparedness.
Check out the ready.gov website for links and ideas on how to prepare for each week!
Week 1 September 1-4: Make a Plan
Week 2 September 5-11: Build a Kit
Week 3 September 12-18: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness
Week 4 September 19-25: Teach Youth About Preparedness
Check out the websites and information at:
Safe + Sound
Safe + Sound is an OSHA campaign focused on the importance of safety and health programs in the workplace. 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.
Serious job-related injuries or illnesses don’t just hurt workers and their families but can hurt business in a variety of ways. Implementing a safety and health program, however, can improve small-and medium-sized businesses’ safety and health performance, save money, and improve competitiveness. The Safe + Sound campaign focuses on one of the three main components of a successful safety and health program each quarter including Safe + Sound Week in the month of August.
The campaign is organized as follows:
• Quarter 1 –Management Leadership
• Quarter 2 –Finding and Fixing Hazards
• Quarter 3 –Safe + Sound Week
• Quarter 4 –Worker Participation
The Safe + Sound webpage, https://www.osha.gov/safeandsound, contains information and tools on the three components (Develop Your Program) and Safe + Sound Week (Safe + Sound Week) suggested activities. Safe + Sound is a way a company, or even an association, can work together on improving safety programs within their collective organizations. An association could become involved in the Safe + Sound campaign and track member participation, recognize those that have improved their safety and health programs, and share best practices with other members. Your local Compliance Assistance Specialist (CAS) is also a resource and can provide assistance as you take the challenge of a Safe +Sound campaign in your company or organization. You can find your local CAS at
Operation Safe Driver Week
The Operation Safe Driver campaign, launched in 2007, is the annual one-week enforcement and educational blitz to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving large trucks, buses, and cars. The goal remains to educate all drivers about ways to share the roads safely.
Operation Safe Driver activities include:
- Increasing commercial vehicle and non-commercial vehicle traffic enforcement
- Safety belt enforcement and driver roadside inspections
- Improving driver regulatory compliance
- Implementing commercial driver educational and awareness programs to trucking industry carriers
- Educating youth about safely sharing the roads with large trucks and buses
- Increasing awareness to the general motoring public about safe operations around commercial motor vehicles
Check out the websites and information at:
What Safe Driver Week 2021 Means for Truckers
Operation Safe Driver Week Set for July 11-17 With Focus on Speeding
National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD
The Industrial Truck Association focuses on forklift safety for the 8th year! NFSD continues to serve as an opportunity for forklift manufacturers and the industry to highlight the safe use of forklifts, the value of operator training, and the need for daily equipment checks. OSHA’s Powered Industrial Trucks Standard (1910.178) was the agency’s seventh most cited standard during fiscal year 2019. Four of the top five sections cited within the standard pertain to operator training.
Check out the NFSD site to watch archived webinars and register for this year’s presentation.
Websites and information at:
Industrial Truck Association-National Forklift Safety Day
Join the webinar at:
DC Velocity VIRTUAL EVENT: National Forklift Safety Day 2021
May is National Electrical Safety Month
Over the past ten years, more than 20,000 workers have been injured in workplace electrical accidents. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is a non-profit organization that promotes electrical safety in all aspects of life—in the home, school and workplace. Protect yourself and your workforce by learning more about electrical safety.
Check out the website at:
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Each April, the National Safety Council (NSC) promotes ways to be aware of how we can so easily become distracted behind the wheel. Motor vehicle deaths actually increased during the COVID-19 pandemic—2020 is estimated to have the highest fatality cases in 13 years! Commit to your safety by being intentional and focused while you are driving. Sign the NSC Just Drive Pledge and stay safe on the road! Also during April is National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 26-30! Join SCTMC for Flagger Training and learn how to keep drivers safe on the road in work zones!
Check out the websites and information at:
https://nsc.org/justdrive
https://nsc.org/newsroom/motor-vehicle-deaths-2020-
estimated-to-be-highest
Ladder Safety Month
(According to OSHA Ladder Safety Month 2021) From Fiscal Year 2009 through Fiscal Year 2020 there have been approximately 26 ladder related fatalities reported to the Houston OSHA offices. In Fiscal Year 2020 we had three ladder related fatalities versus two previous fiscal year. There were 30 reported serious incidents in Fiscal Year 2020 versus 24 the previous fiscal year. Ladders are important to help workers access elevated heights, however, they present a serious fall hazard when used incorrectly. By continuing to focus on ladder safety we can do even better this year.
Check out the websites and information at:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/falls/4ladders.html
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/portable_ladder_qc.pdf
American Heart Month
Every February the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute (NHLBI) and The Heart Truth® focus on heart health and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
“Research shows that we’re more successful at meeting personal health goals when we join forces with others. When we take care of our hearts as part of our self-care, we set an example for those around us to do the same. Inspire and motivate yourself and those you love to make heart health a regular part of your self-care routine.”
Find a self-care checklist and a 7 Day plan of Self-Care on the NHLBI website.
Check out the websites at:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/american-heart-month/about
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth/about
National Radon Action Month
Radon is a naturally-occurring colorless and odorless radioactive gas that is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in America. Radon disperses quickly outdoors, but can become trapped indoors leading to an increased health risk. One way to be proactive during National Radon Action Month is to test your home for radon. Contact the Texas Tech University Whitacre College of Engineering about getting an indoor test kit (website below). Also check out the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for more information about radon.
Check out the websites at:
https://www.epa.gov/radon/national-radon-action-month-information
National Handwashing Awareness Week!
National Handwashing Awareness Week is the first full week of December each year (Dec. 6-12). This public awareness campaign designed to encourage healthy practices in schools. Though aimed at children, this campaign to promote handwashing is a useful preventative measure to make into a habit during the coronavirus pandemic. “Thank you for helping to Spread the word not the germs!”
Check out the website at:
These materials are made available to promote healthy practices in your community.
Please note: these materials are copyrighted by the Henry the Hand Foundation and are not to be reproduced for sale.
We thank you for your business and commitment to safe workplaces.
Effective March 10, 2021, trainees will not be required to socially distance or wear a mask while in the SCTMC facility. SCTMC reserves the right to ask persons who appear to be ill to have their temperature taken by a touchless device. Any person with a temperature at or exceeding 100.4 degrees will be asked to leave the facility immediately. If you would like to request special accommodations, you must email customer service @ customerservice@cscportlavaca.org to set up a training appointment. All persons are strongly encouraged to take the proper precautions to protect the health and welfare of themselves and those around them.