Every year, the month of June is observed as “National Safety Month (NSM)” in the United States. Sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC), the campaign highlights the need to generate widespread public awareness about safety issues and the steps to reduce the occurrence of injuries. It focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road, and in homes and communities.Accidental injuries have become the third leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. It is estimated that an American is accidentally injured every second and killed every three minutes by a preventable event (possibly a vehicle crash, drug overdose, slips and falls and or another preventable incident).

Through this campaign, the National Safety Council (NSC) aims to eliminate preventable injuries and deaths in the workplace, at home, and on the road by focusing on promoting safety through education and training. The NSC provides various materials or resources such as posters, safety check lists, tip sheets, articles, special offers and infographics in an effort to improve safety awareness and protect the lives of people. As part of the monthly campaign, the NSC highlights a different safety topic for each week in June –

  • Week 1 – Hazard Recognition
  • Week 2 – Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Week 3 – Fatigue
  • Week 4 – Impairment

Identifying risks or improving safety standards at home and in your community can protect everyone. Careful planning and simple safety measures can significantly reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls and injuries. These safety measures include –

  • Installing hand rails/grab bars
  • Keeping the floor clear of fallen objects
  • Cleaning up or reporting any spills
  • Checking pathways for any obstructions
  • Keeping an eye out for uneven floors or changes in floor level
  • Installing accessibility devices such as stair lifts, platform lifts or elevators for wheelchair users and seniors with mobility issues
  • Replacing loose, torn or worn flooring
  • Reporting poorly-lit areas

The month of June was officially designated as National Safety Month by the NSC in the year 1996. The main goal was to increase awareness of the leading safety and health risks facing employees and decrease the risk for workplace injuries and deaths in the U.S. Over the years, the campaign has grown in to a big event that creates awareness about key safety issues.

The NSC is offering various materials to spread safety messages. You can share posts on safety and hazard recognition using the hashtag #NSM..

Join the National Safety Month (NSM) campaign. Create awareness to improve safety practices in home and workplaces all across the country.