JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
The National Safety Council is on a mission to prevent unintentional injury and death by educating and influencing people to adopt and maintain safe and healthy practices in the workplace, on our roads and highways and in our homes and communities. In observance of National Safety Month, Joint Base Charleston will host several events to increase safety awareness and educate personnel. Events include hurricane recovery safety awareness, drunk driving simulations, a Crash Course in Rollovers, fire education by simulating escape from a burning building and a comedian who will shed light on the importance of safety through humor.
Unintentional injuries and deaths in the United States are at unacceptable levels. Motor vehicle crashes, falls and overexertion remain leading causes of preventable death and injury. Unintentional deaths reached an estimated 128,200 in 2009, compared with the revised 2008 estimate of 125,800. The 2009 estimate - the highest on record - is 47 percent greater than the 1992 total of 86,777 - the lowest annual total since 1924. The cost of unintentional injuries to Americans and their employers exceeds $693 billion nationally, or $5,900 per household, and causes great suffering among individuals and their families.
The goal of National Safety Month is to raise everyone's awareness of safety. June is an appropriate month to focus on safety, as the summer season traditionally is a time of increased unintentional injuries and fatalities. This goal of raising safety awareness is in line with the 101 Critical Days of Summer campaign goal of ensuring all personnel have zero preventable fatal mishaps as well as an injury free summer. Most mishaps are predictable, therefore preventable. Always apply risk management. Ask, what can or how can this cause injury to myself or someone else and then what can I do to prevent that from happening? Think safety before you act!