Information provided by Oregon OSHA
It’s a day to recognize employer and worker successes in cultivating safe and healthy workplaces. It’s a day to engage in open and direct conversations – including employee participation and feedback – about what is going well and what can be improved. It’s a day to reflect on future challenges and to develop plans to minimize or eliminate workplace hazards.
Employers and workers across the state are invited to take part in Safety Break for Oregon, coordinated by Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHA), a division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
The annual event – now in its 21st year – offers an opportunity to employers, supervisors, and workers across Oregon to celebrate their safety and health achievements, and to examine and renew their efforts to protect people from harm while on the job.
Will you take the Wednesday, May 8, stand-down as a time to refresh your knowledge and training? Will you conduct an assessment of where safety and health could be improved at your workplace? Or will you celebrate your successes and recognize emerging safety leaders?
The choice of activity is yours. Sign up now. You could even win a $100 prize.
“We encourage employers across all types of industries to pause their operations and remind everyone at their business or organization about the critical importance of putting safety first in the workplace,” said Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA. “Safety Break for Oregon is a time to bring employers and employees together to talk through safety and health issues, identify protective methods, and make expectations clear – all with a goal of preventing injury and illness in the workplace.”
Oregon OSHA encourages employers and workers to share their Safety Break activities on social media; tag Oregon OSHA on Facebook and LinkedIn with #SafetyBreak.
As you celebrate Safety Break for Oregon, Oregon OSHA encourages you to use the division’s free resources. If you have questions about how to apply Oregon OSHA rules to your workplace, contact our technical specialists for free. If you want free and confidential help reviewing and improving your safety and health program, contact our consultation services. Moreover, Oregon OSHA offers many free education and training resources that you may want to use as part of your Safety Break for Oregon activity.
Employers that sign up online by Friday, May 3, and participate in Safety Break for Oregon will be entered to win one of three $100 checks to be used for a luncheon of their choice.
The prizes will go to participating companies as part of a random drawing. The Oregon SHARP Alliance sponsors the contest. The nonprofit group promotes safety and health management by encouraging teamwork and cooperation among people, employers, and organizations to improve workplace health and safety for Oregon workers.
Get Safety Break ideas, logos, sample awards, and other free resources by visiting the Safety Break for Oregon website.