YouTube's Five Most Useful Government Safety Sites for Humans
My furless, upright simians with opposable thumbs: As a dexterously superior being, Safety Cat feels it is his duty to protect you against your two-legged feebleness. In his whole year of existence, Safety Cat has seen how fragile you humans are and still cannot grasp why you believe you are superior. No fur? I guess that's why they invented safety apparel. No tail? Small wonder you need that safety harness.
Despite your knack for hurting yourselves, Safety Cat wants to keep you safe. Someone has to give him his daily Fancy Feast meal.
Safety Cat, with a little help from his Human, searched YouTube to find useful safety-related government channels to keep you from losing that feeding hand. The top five are below.
1. 
U.S. Chemical Safety Board
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency that investigates the causes of major chemical accidents. The board's mission is to prevent future accidents through public reports, safety recommendations, and educational outreach.
Safety Cat hides under the couch at the mere mention of the word "chemical." But you humans have a job to do, and the CSB provides safety videos on how to prevent a wide range of hazards, from combustible dust to nitrogen asphyxiation.
Below is a video about combustible dust hazards.
2. 
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related injury and illness .
As much as Safety Cat likes it when you are at home, he knows that most work-related injuries involve your going to the hospital, meaning he must hide from that weird, canine-smelling neighbor who comes to fill up his bowl.
Below is a video about highwall safety in surface mining and construction. Because, unlike the superior balancing skills of Safety Cat, humans tend to fall when working more than 10 feet off the ground.
3. 
Health & Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially to those who are least able to help themselves (humans).
Again, Safety Cat likes it when you have to stay home, but with the expected resurgence of swine flu, he also doesn't want you to miss so much work that you get fired. No work = no food for Safety Cat.
Below, fellow furry creature Elmo and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius encourage kids to wash their hands.
4. 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Recognized as the leading U.S. government agency for protecting the public's health and safety, CDC provides credible information to enhance health decisions and promotes health through strong partnerships with state health departments and other organizations.
CDC focuses national attention on developing and applying disease prevention and control (especially infectious diseases), environmental health, health promotion, and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
The CDC channel provides in-depth information about specific diseases, from H1N1 to AIDS.
Below, Dr. Anne answers your questions about the swine flu outbreak. (Notice, there are no feline flu warnings this fall.)
5. 
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA leads the nation's environmental science, research, education, and assessment efforts. The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, the agency has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
One of Safety Cat's favorite pastimes is watching those delicious winged creatures frolic around his Human's cleverly concealed water and flower trap (also called a "garden"). He doesn’t want you to ruin it by putting too much waste in the ground or water. Now if only he could get outside…
Below is a case study about how the Lost Lake Resort in Blythe, Calif. is working to prevent gasoline from leaking into soil and groundwater.
Now, there are more useful government safety channels on YouTube, such as the FDA and the USDA Food Safety channels, as well as other non-government safety channels that Safety Cat will list in an upcoming post. However, he is no longer in a helpful mood because it's lunchtime.
Until next time, meow.
Safety Cat
Posted by Safety Cat on Sep 15, 2009