Three Decades of National Safety Month

In 1996, fewer than half of Americans owned computers. The first DVD – of the movie Twister – wouldn’t come out for another year. The word “selfie” had never been uttered. 

A lot has undoubtedly changed in the three decades since the National Safety Council first declared June National Safety Month. But in the world of safety, some things remain stubbornly the same. Far too many people are still injured or lose their lives to preventable incidents at work and on the road. The same hazards that hurt us then – traffic crashes, slips, trips and falls, contact incidents – continue to cause the greatest harm. 

Through it all, NSC remains dedicated to ending these injuries and deaths and keeping people safe, from the workplace to anyplace. We’ve continued raising awareness every June and year-round because we know progress is possible. Today, new tools, technologies and strategies are enabling us to prevent harm and protect workers and road users in ways that were not possible even a decade ago. 

This year’s weekly topics address both perennial safety concerns and the latest best practices to address them: 

Week 1: Moving Safety Forward
Advance a culture of safety with forward-thinking strategies and tools.

Week 2: Staying Safe on the Roads
Help reduce crashes with practical guidance for drivers, pedestrians and fleets.

Week 3: Promoting Holistic Worker Health
Support total worker wellbeing with insights on mental, physical and emotional health.

Week 4: Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls
Reduce common workplace and home hazards with targeted prevention resources.

This is my seventh year with the National Safety Council. I joined as CEO in June of 2019, the 23rd National Safety Month. It’s been an honor to spend the better part of a decade working with and learning from the incredible heroes who make up the safety profession. Together, we are moving the needle on safety. We’ve seen recent declines in the number of deaths from overdoses, traffic collisions and workplace incidents. 

Those decreases are not accidental. They are because of the organizations and individuals that put safety first. We’re proud to partner with all of you to provide the best resources, tools and tips to continue that work, until no one loses their life on the job or the road again.

Thank you for helping NSC celebrate three decades of National Safety Month. Throughout June, we will publish more posts on each of our weekly topics. 

Together we can build a world where everyone makes it home from every shift and every trip.