All this week, organizations from across the US, Canada, and Mexico will celebrate North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week — making this a great time for employers of all types to reengage employees on ways to maintain a healthy and safe work environment.
Safety organizations that drive awareness of NAOSH Week include the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and its counterparts in Canada and Mexico — the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), and the Interdisciplinary Association of Occupational Health and Hygiene of Mexico (AISOHMEX). The goal of the week is “to focus employers, employees, partners and the public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community.” Related events will include everything from safety awareness discussions, to contests and safety knowledge quizzes, to emergency preparation practice drills.
NAOSH Week grew out of a Canadian safety awareness program that had been run by the CSSE since 1986 and was originally observed only by safety professionals in Canada. In 1997 — stemming out of discussions related to the North American Free Trade Agreement — it was expanded to include safety professionals across all of North America.
ASSE, the sister organization of CSSE in the US, also observes Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day on Wednesday each year, during NAOSH Week — a day intended to “recognize and to celebrate the lifesaving efforts of the thousands of OSH professionals.”
To find a NAOSH Week event near you, visit the events page on the NAOSH Week website. For a catalog of expert-reviewed online training solutions from MSDSonline that you can use to engage employees on workplace safety topics, visit our workplace training course library here.
