During National Safety Month, individuals and organizations participate by making efforts to reduce the leading causes of unintentional injury and death at work, on the road, and in homes and communities.
History
In 1996, the National Safety Council established June as National Safety Month, aiming to increase awareness of the leading safety and health risks and ultimately decrease the number of unintentional injuries and deaths in the United States.
This Year
The theme for National Safety Month this year is "No 1 Gets Hurt". Each week in June correlates with a different safety topic:
Week 1 - Emergency Preparedness
Federal agencies like Ready.gov, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provide resources for emergency preparedness. Some 10,000 cardiac arrests occur each year in the workplace. Only 45% of American workers have had first aid training and only 50% know where to locate an automated external defibrillator.
Week 2 - Wellness
It is estimated that 50-70 million Americans chronically suffer from a sleep disorder. For an individual, sleep disorders can have a substantial impact in reducing quality of life, increasing the risk of other health problems such as heart disease and diabetes, and even reducing lifespan.
Week 3 - Falls
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for adults age 65 and older. Falls are also the leading cause of death in construction according to OSHA.
Week 4 - Driving
Drowsy driving contributes to about 10 percent of all motor vehicle-related crashes, exceeding federal estimates by nearly eightfold, according to newly released research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Previously
The theme for last year's National Safety Month was "Keep Each Other Safe," which underscored the role every individual plays in the effort to eliminate preventable deaths. Each week in June correlated with a different safety topic:
Week 1 - Stand Up to Falls
One in three older adults falls each year. About 2.5 million nonfatal falls were treated in emergency departments in 2013.
Week 2 - Recharge to Be in Charge
More than 70 million Americans are estimated to suffer from sleep problems. Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, can be serious enough to interfere with an employee's well-being. Approximately 13% of work injuries can be attributed to sleep problems.
Week 3 - Prepare for Active Shooters
According to the FBI's 2024 Active Shooter Report, which defines an 'active shooter incident' as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area, there were 24 incidents which resulted in over 100 injuries and deaths.
Week 4 - Don't Just Sit There
Overexertion continues to be a leading cause of injury over all age groups. It was the second leading reason that adults age 25-64 ended up in emergency departments in 2013, and the third leading cause for kids ages 10 and older, often from too-heavy backpacks, computers and gaming, and poor posture.
