In a society where certain dangers are taken every day for mere convenience of life, it is important if not necessary to examine personal safety. For that reason, The National Safety Council has declared that June is national safety month.  This creates no better time than the present to focus on safety at home, in the car, and at work. Each June, The National Safety Council encourages citizens and organizations to get involved and participate in National Safety month. The purpose of NSM is to educate and influence behaviors around leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths.

Work related injuries and deaths are one of the highest ranked preventable tragedies. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) there have been 450 deaths reported from work related ailments thus far in 2013. OSHA also reports that over 4,000 deaths occur annually related to accidents at the work place. This averages out to 90 deaths a week, or 13 deaths per day. It is astonishing to fathom the amount of unintentional deaths that could have been inhibited had certain safety measures been taken. The average American over the age of 15 spends 9 hours a day working or performing work related activities. I would like to provide you with some simple safety suggestions that can be utilized while you are working or at home. It is important to remember to not just reinforce safety by following work rules and regulations. Not all rules and regulations are applicable in regards to violence and communicable diseases. Vital protective facts can be found outside the work area by professionals such as fire chiefs, police officers, and health department organizations. You can also take a proactive role at home or work by making yourself accountable for the safety of another. Chances are if you are being aware of the safety of another individual you will self consciously become more aware of your personal safety. Being prepared is also essential when it comes to safety. Have a fire drill and emergency exit plan rehearsed and ready to be performed at all times. Having an emergency earthquake or other natural disaster kit may also be useful. In this emergency kit you may want to stock plenty of fresh water, nonperishable foods, blankets, batteries, flashlights, and other useful items. Last but certainly not least, remember to wash your hands. It is estimated that washing hands with soap and water could reduce diarrheal disease-associated deaths by up to 50%. Hand washing can reduce the risk of respiratory infections by 16%.

If we are not at work or at home, a large part of our day may be spent in the car. For this reason I offer you some helpful car safety tips. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration driving and texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. On average a person receiving a text looks away from the road for 4.6 seconds.  Harvard Center for Risk Analysis reported 3,000 deaths occur a year from texting and driving related accidents. Harvard center goes on to report 330,000 texting while driving related injuries also occur yearly. Tragic yet completely avoidable, do not text and drive. The familiar term “Buckle Up For Safety,” may also come to mind when thinking of car safety. Bucking up may prevent more than just a click it or ticket occurrence; it may save your life.   The CDC states that using your seat belt will decrease serious crash-related injures by 50%. The majority of car accidents happen to young adults ages 18-24, so this safety tip is applicable to college students.

The fact that we live in Southern California makes sun safety a big issue for us beach goers.  For safer beach travels let your trip begin with the proper SPF. SPF should never be lower than 30. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours. Sunscreen is the first step in limiting sun exposure that may cause sun burn, premature wrinkles, and skin cancer. Another step is to seek shade. Sun exposure should be especially limited between the hours of 10a.m.-4p.m. Finally remember to hydrate. The average person should consume eight-8 ounce glasses of water per day.

Whether it is at work, home, the car, or vacation, safety should always come first. Help reduce the risk of preventable injury by joining in the pledge for safety this June. Encourage friends, family, and loved ones to participate in the steps towards safety.

Morgan Miller
Health Science, Pre-Physician Assistant
Student Blogger
Leadership Allied Health