Talking safety: Why safety matters

Invited presentation on the PRES track at #ACSBoston

Talking safety: Why safety matters
by Jennifer Maclachlan, PID Analyzers, LLC

Maclachlan is the Chair of the American
Industrial Hygiene Association's Teen
Workplace Safety Task Force

Safety is a core value for many professional societies including the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Through education, training and leading by example, members of the ACS and AIHA can create what ACS President, Peter Dorhout, has coined an "ethos of safety". 40 young workers die each year, and 60,000 more are rushed to the emergency room due to workplace injuries. Educating students about workplace hazards that include but are not limited to chemical, electrical, physical (fall, trip, slip), emotional (includes verbal abuse, bullying etc.) and more using tools like the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) Talking Safety curriculum and abbreviated materials known as Safety Matters, developed jointly by NIOSH and AIHA, member volunteers of AIHA and ACS can introduce these to teachers, students and legislators in their own communities. Communication about ACS resources such as the Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary School and Academic Institutions will be addressed as well as other outreach opportunities that ACS can leverage to support safety cultures in 2018 and beyond.

Safety Matters/Teen Workplace Safety Beta Group Task Force

Volunteer opportunity for AIHA members:
I am currently chairing the Safety Matters/Teen Workplace Safety AIHA Beta Group Task Force. We are just getting started and I am  accepting AIHA member volunteers to serve on this task force. Like any task force, this will require a few conference calls and several emails with a specific time limit. Please contact me if you are interested in serving in this capacity.

Photo Credit: B.Chirico, AIHA

What is Safety Matters? This general awareness training program developed jointly by the National Institute of Occupational Heath and Safety (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is designed to teach young workers how to identify workplace hazards and know their rights as workers.

Why is this important? Here are some statistics you may not know: 

• "Approximately 1.6 million U.S. teens (aged 15–17) work.
• Every nine minutes, a U.S. teen is injured on the job.
• On average, each year:
• 59,800 workers under the age of 18 are sent to the ER for job-related injuries
• 37 workers under the age of 18 die on the job.
• Young workers are twice as likely to be injured compared to adult workers." (from https://www.aiha.org/get-involved/SafetyMattersCenter/Pages/default.aspx)

Want to help bring Safety Matters to your community and teach young workers to expect a safe workplace? Then contact me to learn how you can mobilize this effort locally.