Policy Statement Listing

The National Safety Council supports the adoption and implementation of the Safe System approach to road safety in local, state, federal, and private sector transportation policies, programs and strategies.

The policy position supersedes #137. The National Safety Council initially passed policy position #137 (Research and Data Collection) in 2017. Since then, evidence is clear of disproportionate negative safety and health burden on minority racial, ethnic and other demographic groups, and additions reflect the need for better data to understand and create solutions for improved outcomes.

Updated and enhanced policy on impaired driving that reflects the variety of interventions, data and information available to save lives on the road.

Supports integration of workplace safety and health into sustainability management systems and planning.

Outlines steps to mitigate the impact of outbreaks of infectious pathogens and urges OSHA to move forward with a risk-based infectious pathogens standard to combat biological pathogens in the workplace.

Calls for employer, government and researcher action to prevent and mitigate heat- and cold-related illnesses, injuries and exposures.

Supports the use of evidence-based treatment for substance and opioid use disorders; calls for policymakers to increase treatment access. Replaces policy #118.

Supports modifying laws to increase access to and administration of naloxone to reverse opioid overdose. Replaces policy #116.

Supports expanding interventions and practices to prevent the misuse of drugs and substance use disorders. Replaces policy #122.

Recommends employers utilize a comprehensive approach to address opioid abuse in the workplace.

Recommends a number of actions for policymakers, interest groups, employers and individuals to take to help prevent fatal and non-fatal firearm incidents. Supersedes Safe Firearms Policy #139.

Urges employers to implement a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for their workers based on the risk of transmission.

Supports laws banning use of electronic devices while driving, policies that prohibit distracted driving in all workplaces and more.

NSC is compelled to address systemic disparities and inequities in road safety to create a safer, more equitable transportation system. NSC will use its platform to promote safety for all and make equity a priority nationally, as well as within its own organizational culture.

Supports actions by lawmakers, employers and other organizations to prioritize mental health prevention and increase access to treatment.

Supports actions by stakeholders on the federal, state and local levels to advance initiatives that support mental health as part of overall health.

Supports states adopting Medicaid expansion and opposes cuts to the Medicaid program.

Urges all employers to, in conjunction with public health officials, participate in contact tracing in the workplace to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Urges all employers to participate in contact tracing in the workplace to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Urges OSHA to issue a temporary emergency standard to protect workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19.

Urges OSHA to issue a temporary emergency standard to protect workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19.

Supports use of COVID-19 testing by businesses to help ensure worker safety and health, including symptom and temperature screenings, and sharing positive coronavirus test results with public health authorities.

Supports the use of COVID-19 testing mechanisms by businesses to help ensure worker safety and health and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Drivers' licenses are being suspended for a growing number of non-moving violations, including failure to pay child support or fines. This policy supports suspending driving privileges only for roadway and traffic safety-related behaviors to restore the focus on safety and more accurately reflect state challenges related to risky driving behaviors.

Supports employers’ rights to drug test workers as a condition of employment, during employment in reasonable suspicion-based or post-incident circumstances, and/or in random drug-testing programs.

Supports explicit, clear, detailed labeling for all cannabis-derived products that contain THC, CBD and products marketed as "synthetic marijuana" to prevent misuse.

Supports a zero tolerance of recreational cannabis use by individuals under the age of 21.

Supports the use of specialized courts to divert non-violent and low-level offenders from the criminal court system.

Supports policies to mitigate and eliminate the risks of cannabis (marijuana) and other products containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Encourages host employers to establish policies and programs outlining their processes for vetting and managing contractor, supplier and vendor safety before permitting work to proceed on host property.

Supports policies aimed at reducing the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, with a particular emphasis on policies that restrict -cigarette use by teenagers.

Supports efforts to reduce and eliminate tobacco consumption in the United States.

Supports speed setting standards in the U.S. based on the Safe Systems approach to prioritize safety for all roadway users.

Supports transportation policies that incorporate practices – such as improvements to infrastructure, universal helmet laws and lower speed limits – to protect pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Supports the adoption of more protective noise level regulations to prevent hearing loss, including updating the 35 year-old Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit.

Supports comprehensive, science-based fatigue risk management systems in the workplace to reduce risk of fatigue-related incident and injury.

Supports sleep health education and sleep disorder screening through wellbeing programs.

Supports the implementation of effective countermeasures and policies to reduce fatigue risks on the road for commercial and passenger vehicle drivers.

Increase involvement in the area of drug-impaired driving, enabling NSC to become a leader on driving safety and impairment as states continue the trend of decriminalizing marijuana, over-the-counter and prescription drug use increases, and illegal drug use increases.

Supports the right of state and local government employees to have the same baseline protections provided to their private sector counterpart, which, at a minimum, meet federal OSHA standards.

Supports the right of employers to maintain a workplace free of all forms of impairment, regardless of the legal status of the impairing substance, and encourages all employers to develop written policies and procedures to address this critical safety issue.

Encourages the federal government, states and territories to adopt best practices for safe patient handling covering all medical professionals whether working in a fixed or mobility facility or vehicle.

Supports mental health parity so coverage, payment and treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders are equal to that of other chronic and acute health conditions.

Supports the National Concussion Surveillance System, developed by the CDC, to better understand the scope and severity of traumatic brain injury and provide insight for more effective prevention and treatment methods.

Encourages states to adopt best-practice GDL systems that meet a minimum criteria.

Supports mandatory or voluntary adoption of new automotive safety technologies in vehicles to help reduce crashes and supports education programs to ensure drivers know how to use these safety technologies.

Supports a comprehensive approach that recognizes the need for key stakeholders to partner to ensure sustained progress in the improvement of process safety management.

Implementing a near-miss and hazard reporting system can help prevent more serious incidents and should be supported by employers and employees.

Supports a national campaign to inform Americans that impairment begins with the first drink. Also supports states' efforts to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers.

Supports mandatory use of properly secured, positioned and tested child restraints in motor vehicles and in airplanes for all children who do not correctly fit in seat belts. Also supports incorporation of lap and shoulder belts into school buses.

Supports the collection and testing of oral fluid specimens as an acceptable method for workplace drug testing.

Supports requirement for interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers to be at least 21 years old.

Recommends the DEA require continuing medical education for prescribers who register with them under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

Recommends employers take a number of steps to reduce the risk of occupational illness.

Supports reasonable actions by the federal government to address the growing rate of prescription drug overdoses throughout the country.

Supports the work of state pharmacy boards, substance abuse agencies, health department and other entities that administer the states' prescriptiong drug monitoring programs, and the continued efforts to link all states' information into a national database accessible to all prescribers.

Supports physicians and dental groups that take into consideration the risks of opiod use and the benefits of non-opioid treatments when developing guidelines to treat acute and chronic pain.

Supports states' efforts to deter the operation of "pain clinics" operating outside guidelines for licensed physicians and whose primary treatment is prescribing opioids.

Recommends at a minimum benzodiazepines, opiates, oxycodone, methadone, cocaine, amphetamines and THC are included in employer drug testing programs.

Supports adequate, stable annual funding for NIOSH (including AgFF and ERC).

Supports adequate, stable funding for OSHA, including compliance assistance, regulation and enforcement; encourages performance-based fundamentals with improved measurement of effectiveness.

Supports adequate funding for VPP. Continued exemption from programmatic visits, oppositon to fee for participation.

Encourages companies to adopt comprehensive safety management systems. Lays out specifics of NSC model SMS, including leadership, technical and cultural elements.

Recognizes cognitive distraction, recommends states pass laws banning handheld and hands-free phone usage; recommends employer policies and employee education; calls on scientific, traffic safety and law enforcement community for continuous improvement.

All positive results in transporation accidents should be confirmed by alternate method prior to issuing report; no reporting of presumptive positive results.

Supports the use of external cause of injury codes (e-codes) as a tool for capturing off-the-job injury data.

Supports all-offender interlock laws.

Supports use of automated enforcement (cameras) for red lights and speed limits; communities should evaluate and improve effectiveness.

Allows NSC to seek Congressional funding for research, outreach, training and compliance assistance.

Supports implementation of a national NOAA weather radio service and early warning flood prediction program.

NSC supports the efforts of the NFPS and other electrical industry organizations to adopt and promulgate NFPA 70E.

NSC will participate in ANSI Z-10 committee on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

Supports legislation and legislative initiatives that focus on mandatory seat-belt requirements and restrictions on other teenage passengers.

Supports strong, primary seatbelt laws.

Supports enhancement of airbag and seat belt safety campaigns.

Supporting DOT use of "clear zone" areas, "side-slopes" and other devices to keep drivers on roadway.

Support for an official (presidential/Congressional) National Safety Month proclamation or resolution.

Seek funding to achieve goals of Safety Agenda for the Nation.

Supports efforts to enhance the safety profession, but skeptical of ANSI Z590 needs to be recognizing of various industry needs; recognize branches of safety industry; examine use of terminology. NSC will continue to participate in development.

Teacher trainees (K-12) should develop competencies in teaching safety education.

Promotes substance abuse education in schools.

NSC should recognize and promote Workers' Memorial Day April 28.

Lays out guidelines for accepting contributions, including clearly identifying funding source, assuring consistent contributor message with NSC values, reserve right for final approval of any programs or materials produced under the funding, assure no requirement to advocate or not advocate in such a way that is inconsistent with NSC policy/positions, inform and seek approval from Board of Directors for any contributions that would conflict with these or any other NSC value/policy/position.

Urges agencies, manufacturers and professionals to identify ways to mitigate the danger of child injury incidents involving tractors; parents/guardians should prohibit children from riding or being in presence of tractors, and 4-H and other organizations should continue to promote same; studies should be conducted for more reliable data.

Lays out ways in which NSC can support highway safety at both the federal and state level.

Outlines principles to ensure that OSHA will continue to make a measurable difference in workplace safety and health.

Resolution: Use of personal flotation devices should be for children 12 years and younger.

Supports promoting the mobility and safety of older drivers to ensure improved safety on the highways.

Supports development of a uniform procedure for identifying, reporting and summarizing firearms accidents; urges industry to design safety features on weapons to prevent ready firing by children and untrained people; supports requirements for secure storage of weapons; "every person owning a firearm is responsible for safekeeping."

Childhood education programs should include OSH; in-home child care providers should also require safety training; child care facility admins should establish training programs for staff; encourage funding to strengthen data on which to base safety and health decisions for children due to little available accident/illness data.

Federal Maritime Commission should require cargo containers be stamped with actual weight, rather than standard weight, before departing ocean terminals.

FAA should require lightning detection systems at all US airports to improve safety of air traffic and airport personnel; until then, supports voluntary installation by airports.

Traffic citation files should be listed and displayed with accident files to provide more comprehensive computerized safety record-keeping system.

Urges federally funded research program on work zone crashes, development of countermeasures, enforcement of regulations (federal and state) for work zone protection, adding "work zone" as uniform definition reporting data item on accident data.

Urges all governmental jurisdictions to adopt and conduct a comprehensive program for pedestrian safety.

Outlines a system for commenting to a federal body.

Urges the Department of Transportation to adopt priorities, including an annual highway safety goal to lower mileage death rate and total fatalities, greater highway safety prominence in administrative agenda, increased research funding, continuation of certain programs, continued NHTSA standards and continued NHTSA research.

Lengthy position statement on prevention and treatment measures for children's poisoning, including home preparation.

Congress and state legislatures should establish methods for identifying potentially hazardous utility pole installations; take corrective action on current and future ones.

Jurisdictions should allow for administrative suspension/revocation of licenses following DUI arrest if refusing (or failing) testing; progressive penalties for repeat violations.

NSC staff should work with manufacturers and other parties to discourage ads promoting high-risk behavior, particularly among youth.

NSC should work with auto manufacturers to discourage ads that promote excessive speed and other risky behavior.

Requests the NTSB conduct a study of the structural integrity of railroad bridges.

Urges OSHA to publicly announce intention to require OSH Act employers to require seat belt use by employees.

Support establishment of visibility-based performance standards for traffic control devices.

Federal government should ban CMV use of radar detectors; states should ban all use of radar detectors.

Prohibits smoking at NSC headquarters and at NSC events.

Includes enforcement specifics: all nighttime driving violations should be tested for alcohol with passive sensors, screen all drivers stopped at checkpoints, accountability and peformance measures for road checkpoints.

Sets out suggested penalties including license revocation for all offenders; elimination of mandatory severe penalties for first-time offenders (no jail time); assure swift adjudication; alcohol treatment should be in addition to, not in lieu of revocation and other penalties.

States should adopt uniform definition and requirements for MOPEDS.

Recognizes the inherent right of all citizens to the full development of their economic, social and personal potential regardless of their physical abilities.

Reflects the Council's support of national efforts to help the handicapped utilizing public and private sector resources.

Statement on furthering safety progress outside of additional government regulation.

Position statement on the proposed revision, safety and health standards, Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act.

Supports minimum drinking age of 21; supports federal sanctions for states not in compliance.

Member organizations should require seatbelt use.

Urges seat belt use by all motor vehicle occupants, and that the use of seat belts be promoted by all safety organizations and all supporting organizations.

Recommends all motorcycle riders wear approved helmets.

Adequate funds must exist to maintain and improve the nation’s highway system to achieve mobility with safety.

Supports national 55mph speed limit.

The Council opposes the use of fireworks by both adults and children, except when by professionals in controlled conditions; expresses support for NFPA 494-L Model State Fireworks Law; supports federal enforcement of prohibition of mail-order fireworks; supports educational effots on danger of fireworks.

Supports development and use of voluntary consensus standards concerned with safety, and occupational and environmental health.

Position on use of NSC "Green Cross for Safety" registered trademark.

NSC Statement on "Safety in Action" describes need for, formation of and intent of Council.

Lays out the Council's intent to provide accurate, accessible information on the size and severity of the "accident problem" and efforts to address it; restricts NSC from paying for safety advertising.

Lays out relationship of NSC to the federal government, including independence and lack of accepting subsidies (however, NSC can accept grant and contract work).

Lays out consequences if conference members or councils have past-due balances.