AIHA and NIOSH Announce "Safety Matters" Program for Young Workers
The program, introduced during AIHA’s conference in Orlando, is intended to teach young workers about safety and health
AIHA and NIOSH jointly announced a new “Safety Matters” initiative at AIHA’s Fall Conference in Orlando, Fla., according to a news release.
“Safety Matters” is a one-hour interactive teaching module and presentation intended for students in grades 7 through 12. AIHA will help deliver the presentation to schools and youth groups around the country.
AIHA has identified a need to equip the up-and-coming work force with safety and health knowledge relevant to a working environment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has highlighted a gap in young people’s education regarding these topics.
"Approximately 1.5 million teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 are employed in the United States,"says Steven Lacey, AIHA President-elect, and Rebecca Guerin, coordinator of the NIOSH Safe-Skilled-Ready Workforce Initiative (SSRWI). "Each year, on average, 60,000 of these young workers are injured seriously enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room."
Some of the topics “Safety Matters” will cover include: identifying hazards at work, injury and illness prevention, identifying emergencies at work and deciding on the best ways to address them, and how workers can communicate with others when they feel unsafe or threatened.