Safe + Sound Week 2023 Focuses on Mental Health in the Workplace
The annual celebration spreads awareness of workplace health and safety concern.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Aug 08, 2023
Every August, OSHA leads the nation in marking Safe + Sound Week. Although keeping workers safe and healthy is a year-long goal, this event invites employers to take stock of their successes.
In a release dated August 1, OSHA shared details of Safe + Sound Week 2023, which started on August 7 and runs through August 13. This year’s event highlights mental health in the workplace. With the relationship between workers and mental health coming increasingly into focus, Safe + Sound Week 2023 hopes to provide employers with the resources to address workers’ mental health.
To that end, the American Psychological Association released a 2023 study that pinpointed the effect of a toxic work environment on workers’ mental health. Ninety-two percent of respondents said it is very or somewhat important their employers value emotional and psychological well-being. And 92 percent also believe it is very or somewhat important for their employers to support employee mental health. So this year’s Safe + Sound feels all too timely.
"We want businesses to have a system, not just good intentions, and make safety a core value for every worker in every workplace," OSHA Assistant Secretary Doug Parker said in a statement. "During this week and throughout the year, we urge every employer to commit to implementing a program that drives continuous improvement in safety and health."
Thousands of employers participate in Safe + Sound Week to promote the benefits of their safety and health programs. Companies looking to get involved can do so on the OSHA website.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the former Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.