Participate in Safety Break for Oregon: Wednesday, May 13
Employers across Oregon are invited to promote workplace safety and health with training, award recognition events, or other creative activities.
What is a Safety Break?
Oregon OSHA coordinates this one-day event, designed to raise awareness and promote the value of workplace safety and health. The event is flexible to meet an employer’s needs and health and safety activities are determined by individual employers.
Why Take a Break for Safety?
When workers return home safe to their families at the end of the day, workers’ compensation and insurance costs are reduced, and productivity improves when workers know they are performing in a safe environment. Your community benefits by knowing that you are an employer who values safety.
Your commitment to having a safe workplace is communicated to your workers, their families, and your community. The positive perceptions created about the value of workplace safety and health can yield many positive outcomes for future employee recruiting, sales opportunities, and new partnerships within an industry or a region.
History
In 2003 Oregon OSHA created Safety Break for Oregon at the urging of industry leaders concerned about an increase in workplace deaths in the state during 2002.
Oregon companies enjoyed a steady decrease in employee deaths for more than a decade, hitting a record low of 34 in 2001 before jumping to 77 in 2002.
Oregon OSHA attributes the 2002 increase to the state’s lagging economy, which resulted in some companies laying off employees in safety-related positions. But members of the business community, including construction companies, were concerned there were other factors involved.
At the request of business leaders, Oregon OSHA agreed to help organize and promote a day dedicated to safety awareness, urging businesses and government agencies to spend time involving employees in a conversation about safety.
As part of a genuine effort to address workplace hazards, this event provides an opportunity to remind both workers and their employers that it requires continued focus and diligence to create a workplace free from the hazards.
Sign up and add your business to the list of Safety Break participants