National Safety Month is celebrated in June when people focus on how they can keep their environment safe and free from any danger in our workplace and our homes. Become aware of your working conditions and better understand how you can help to create a safer environment for yourself and your coworkers.

• Reinforce Safety Policies – Remind your coworkers that policies are put in place to keep them safe but are only effective if they are consistently reinforced.
• Encourage Employee Engagement – Encourage your coworkers to provide feedback regarding workplace hazards that may affect their ability to do their jobs well.
• Build Trust and Accountability – Ask your supervisor to implement daily safety messages that helps to create a sense of accountability among coworkers.

Below are some of the benefits of maintaining a safe working environment.

• Prevents Death and Injury – The death or severe injury of a coworker due to poor safety conditions can be a very devastating experience which may lead to an increase in poor mental wellbeing and the feeling of being unsafe while on the job.
• Product Quality and Employer Loyalty- When we work under safe conditions, we are likely to be more dedicated to our work, which means higher quality of products and services, and creating a higher sense of job satisfaction.

It is also very important to practice safety first in our homes to keep our families out of harm’s way and prevent dangerous situations by doing the following:

• Conduct a Home Fire Drill – Taking precautionary measures can prevent severe damage from fire. Keep a fire extinguisher in an easy to reach place away from heat and moisture. Select a safe meeting place close to your home and test your fire alarms and perform a mock fire drill.
• Update your First Aid Kit – Keeping an updated, professional first aid kit is a simple yet effective way to keep yourself prepared for unforeseen emergencies. Stock it with bandages, dressings, tape, ointments, wipes, aspirin, gloves, scissors, and gauze pads. Make sure to check the first aid kit regularly and remove ointments and medications that have reached their expiration dates.
• Practice Self-Defense – It’s always good to be mentally and physically prepared to face any unforeseen harm or danger. The best part about self-defense is that anyone can learn to improve their strength and agility by practicing different techniques like karate, boxing, etc.
• Know Your Neighbors – A neighborhood where people look out for one another is a great security measure. One of the easiest, cheapest yet commonly overlooked home security tips is to simply get to know your neighbors. Keep them in the loop with your general schedule and alert them to vacations so that they can keep an eye on your home while you are away.

Click below to learn more about this and other important topics in this month’s Plan for Health Newsletter by Highmark.