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May 2023 • Safety & Health Information for Wisconsin Employers & Organizations  

Headlines

• Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Week is May 1-5
• National Electrical Safety Month Highlights Safety with Emerging Electrical Technologies
• May Brings Water, Beach & Other Outdoor Safety Precautions to Forefront
• Bike, Motorcycle Safety Showcased in May
• Additional May Awareness Campaigns
• A Look Ahead
• About Dave Leix, CSP, Safety Corner's Editor

Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Week is May 1-5

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation are a leading cause of death for construction workers, according to data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). All of these fatalities were preventable. 

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration's (OSHA) National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign runs from May 1-5, 2023. The campaign is designed to build awareness of fall hazards and prevent fatalities and injuries. The campaign is a partnership between OSHA and several organizations, including the the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Construction Sector. For more information, visit the OSHA Stop Falls Safety Stand-Down Campaign website or agency's Stop Falls home page. 

Additionally, more than 40 national and global construction firms comprising the Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) group and the Incident and Injury Free (IIF) CEO Forum have resources available to commemorate the week.

The Center for Construction Resarch and Training also offers fall prevention resources, such as:

• Falls, Slips, and Trips in Construction
• Data Dashboards                
• National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction

Additionally, the National Safety Council encourages all industry sectors to participate in the stand down. 

National Electrical Safety Month Highlights Safety with Emerging Electrical Technologies

May is National Electric Safety Month. In 2021, there were 156 workplace electrical fatalities, representing a 24% increase over the 126 fatalities in 2020.  From 2011-21, there were 1,201 workplace fatalities involving electricity and 1,653 electrical fatalities according to federal data presented by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). The most common causes were contact with overhead power lines; working on or near energized conductors and energized parts; and lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedure failure or safety controls removed.

Electrical safety also is an ongoing OSHA construction sector Focus Four sector compliance priority.

This year’s ESFI campaign theme is “Electrification: E-Mobility” to highlight safety risks associated with emerging electrical technologies.

May Brings Water, Beach & Other Outdoor Safety Precautions to Forefront

Water and boating safety becomes more critical with the onset of warmer weather. May is National Water Safety Month, and National Safe Boating Week is observed May 20-26.  Free boating safety resources can be found year-round at the National Safe Boating Council's website.. Summer months also bring an increased focus on minimizing beach and swimming risks. Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shoreline beaches have experienced several riptide current fatalities within the last five years. The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) notes that National Beach Safety Week begins the Monday before Memorial Day and ends seven days later on Memorial Day, which means the 2023 week will run from May 22-29. Enjoy the beach, but please stay alert and know how to avoid or survive getting caught up in rip current hazards. Additional riptide current safety resources can be found on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) website. Additionally, June 4-10 is NOAA's pending National Beach/Riptide Awareness Week.

Bike, Motorcycle Safety Showcased in May

• Also with warm weather, our two-wheel enthusiasts should check out their respective month of May safety awareness campaigns:     

  • Bike Safety League Month
    • National Ride a Bike Day: May 7
    • Bike Safety Week: May 15-21
    • Bike to Work Day: May 19
  • Motorcycle Safety Month

   

Additional May Awareness Campaigns

May has a host of additonal campaigns to highlight safety & health, including:

• Trauma Awareness Month: Highlights injury prevention and trauma awareness efforts.
• Ultraviolet (UV) Awareness Month: Builds awareness of possible negative effects of UV exposure to the eyes and vision. Learn more about eye protection from the sun and solar eclipse eye safety at the Prevent Blindness website.
• Healthy Vision Month: The Vision Health Initiative (VHI) under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the importance of eye care, such as having dilated eye exams.
• Child Passenger Safety Technician Month: Safe Kids Worldwide recognizes more than 43,000 technicians who educate families every day about travel safety.
• Move Your Way: Raises awareness and encourages people live healthier lives through increased physical activity.

In addition to month-long campaigns, a variety of activities are scheduled around specific weeks and days: 

• May 4: International Firefighters Day: Honors past firefighters who died while serving the community or dedicated their lives to protecting public safety, and demonstrates appreciation to current firefighters.  
• May 11-27: National EMS Week: Honors EMS professionals and seeks to provide education about the critical work they play in the community.
• May 14-20: National Police Week: Includes May 15, which is Peace Officers Memorial Day.
• May 26: The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day as “Don’t Fry Day” to encourage sun safety awareness and to remind everyone to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors.

A Look Ahead

June is National Safety Council "National Safety Month."  The first week in June is National CPR and AED Awareness Week. Additionally, June observes Trench Safety Stand Down Week as well as Wisconsin Heat Awareness and Lightning Safety Days.  More information to follow.   

About Dave Leix, CSP, Safety Corner's Editor

Dave Leix is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Safety & Risk Manager for the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) – Worker's Compensation Division. Dave brings over 40 years of professional safety and health (EHS) consulting and managerial experience to a wide variety of customers and clients. Read more about Dave on the DWD website.