June Is National Safety Month

This month, thousands of organizations across the United States are raising safety awareness in honor of National Safety Month. During the month of June, all of these organizations focus on reducing the leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road, and in people’s homes and communities. The National Safety Council (NSC) also broke down the month into four weeks covering different safety topics. Week 1 covers slips and falls, Week 2 includes fatigue and its influence on accidents, Week 3 focuses on preparing for active shooters, and Week 4 focuses on ergonomics.

SLIPS AND FALLS

Slipping and falling is the leading cause of death for those age 65 and older. Part of the danger rests in the slow recovery time of seniors in addition to their tendency to have more fragile bones. A fall that would only bruise a person in their 20s might break the hip of someone in their 70s. More than 33,000 people died from falls in 2015.

FATIGUE

Many individuals who work take sleep for granted. Even cutting your sleep short by one hour could contribute to a state of fatigue that increases your chance of making mistakes. Our bodies are programmed to be tired and night and alert during the day, but people who work the graveyard shift have to override those natural sleep patterns. More than 37% of employees are sleep-deprived. Likewise, someone who is fatigued is 3 times more likely to be in a car crash than people who aren’t; losing 2 hours of sleep is equivalent to driving under the influence after 3 beers.

ACTIVE SHOOTERS

Active shooter incidents are on the rise. Between 2014 and 2015, 70 people were wounded and 46 people were killed per year in active shooter events on average. While most people are 700 times more likely to die in a car crash than at the hands of an active shooter, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for every eventuality. The NSC offers training that community leaders can provide residents in their communities. One training class, called “Surviving an Active Shooter Event,” is a 2-hour course that covers how active shooter situations unfold, how to be situationally aware, and what actions are necessary to improve your chances of surviving.

ERGONOMICS

One of the biggest risk factors for American workers is repetitive motion and overexertion. The NSC and other organizations focus on teaching employees and employers alike about the benefits of an ergonomic workplace and the detriments of ergonomic injuries. Various precautions could help companies recognize ergonomic risk factors related to musculoskeletal disorders. The NSC also offers courses designed to train companies in implementing a successful ergonomics program at their businesses.

Part of the reason why these organizations decided to focus their efforts on raising awareness is the statistics. Preventable injuries are the 4^th leading cause of death in the country. By its definition, a preventable injury could have been “prevented” or stopped by taking better care or paying more attention to the situation at hand. According to statistics by the NSC, 184 preventable deaths occurred each day in 2016. Take a look at this NSC infographic for more information.

If you’ve been injured through negligence or carelessness, don’t hesitate to call us. Our skilled Carlsbad personal injury attorneys are dedicated to providing clients with results-driven advocacy and helping them seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. The Levinson Law Group has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of other people we have helped over the years. Let us see what we can do for you.

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