Our Mission is Safety
The National Safety Council eliminates preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. Donate to our cause.
The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization.
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April 2018
Join us in Chicago on May 23 as we honor excellence with the Green Cross for Safety Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in safety through three distinct awards: Safety Excellence, Safety Innovation and Safety Advocate.
This premier safety event attracts nearly 40 corporate sponsors and 500 attendees, including safety professionals, corporations and government officials from around the country. All funds raised will be used to educate the public on ways to prevent prescription drug overdoses, reduce motor vehicle fatalities and help companies across the globe improve safety practices for their employees, both at home and at work.
Tickets and sponsorships are available. For more information and to register, please visit GreenCross.nsc.org.
While crossing the street, Gerald Merriman was just steps away from the sidewalk when the unthinkable happened.
Courtney Merriman's grandfather, affectionately known as Papa, was an active 92-year-old right up to the day he died.
He had just attended a Harvest Supper at his church in November 2013. He left the church after dinner and was crossing the road to get to his car. Courtney's aunt was just two steps in front of him, assisting an elderly woman. They heard the sound of a truck, they looked up and it was already too late.
The driver said he never saw them. Many months later, it was determined the truck driver was using his cell phone for 26 minutes up until the moment of impact.
"There is not a phone call, there is not an email, there is not a text message that would ever justify putting lives at risk," Courtney said. "There is nothing more important than protecting the ones we love."
Nearly 40,000 people died on the roads last year. Our complacency is killing us. Make a difference by donating today. With your help, we can educate people, change unsafe behaviors and eliminate traffic deaths.
We're a fatigued nation – and it's affecting our safety, productivity and decision-making ability in the workplace and on the road. According to a new report from the National Safety Council, 43% of Americans say they don't get enough sleep to handle risks that can jeopardize their safety at work and while driving. Some people think if they're not sleepy, they're not impaired. On the contrary, losing two hours of sleep is the equivalent of having three beers.
Fatigue is complex and much more than being sleepy. It's defined as a physical, mental or social impairment that includes tiredness, sleepiness, reduced energy and increased effort needed to perform tasks at a desired level. One-third of working Americans are sleep deprived. Combine the lack of sleep with tasks like driving to and from work or operating machinery while on the job and the results could be deadly.
Car crashes are the leading cause of workplace death and fatigue is contributing factor. About 20% of U.S. adults drivers admit to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point in the past year – with more than 40% admitting this has happened at least once in their driving careers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, but more than a third get less. These tips from the National Sleep Foundation can help you increase your quality and quantity of sleep:
Reducing fatigue, simply by getting an extra hour or two of sleep a day, can enrich your personal and professional lives. When you're alert, mentally engaged and energetic, you're able to work more safely and productively, and engage with others more meaningfully.
Since 2010, the National Safety Council has been honoring the next generation of safety professionals through the Rising Stars of Safety. Created to recognize excellence early in a person's career, the NSC Rising Stars Awardees are all persons under 40 who are providing safety leadership in their organization and are dedicated to continuous improvement in safety throughout their facilities. Organizations of all sizes are encouraged to nominate potential Rising Stars in their employ, anywhere in the world.
The Marion Martin Award celebrates the accomplishments of women in safety who have achieved professional excellence in their area of specialty and helped pave the way to success for other women in the profession. Recipients have distinguished themselves in a variety of professional settings and personify excellence on the local, regional, national or international level.
The Community Advancement Award recognizes employers who show a commitment to safety for their employees, their families and the communities in which they operate by providing exemplary off-the-job safety and health programs.
Individual site locations are eligible for this award. Applicants are scored on:
The Distinguished Service to Safety Award, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2017, is the most prestigious award given to individuals by the National Safety Council. The award recognizes outstanding service and contributions to the field of safety. To be eligible, candidates must have had a sustained impact on the safety movement at the local, national or international level that resulted in increased injury prevention. This may also include advancement of safety theory and research.
More information on each award, including a Frequently Asked Questions document and a sample application are available. Please contact [email protected].
The National Safety Council is grateful to FCA US for its commitment to launch and sustain the Check to Protect campaign over the next three years. It is support from generous corporate partners like FCA US, who are committed to safety and investing in education and awareness campaigns, that will help the Council eliminate preventable deaths in our lifetime. Thank you to FCA US for its commitment to eliminating open recalls and preventable deaths on our roadways.
With NSC estimates showing more than 40,000 people died on our roadways in 2017, more action is needed to keep drivers, passengers and pedestrians safe. To help, the National Safety Council and FCA US partnered to create Check To Protect, a vehicle recall awareness campaign that educates drivers about the need to check for recalls and get them fixed. Our website, CheckToProtect.org, allows vehicle owners to determine their recall status in minutes.
More than 100,000 people have clicked to check their vehicles in the first year of the campaign. Several states already have partnered with us to help get the word out to their drivers, and additional partnerships are in the works in 2018. Recalls are 100% free to have repaired at your dealer so check your vehicle's status today – and help us spread the word about CheckToProtect.org to keep your family, friends and colleagues safe.
Distracted driving is a public health issue that affects us all. The latest statistics show motor vehicle fatalities are up 6% from 2015. More than 40,000 people were killed on our nation's roadways last year, and distracted driving is a major contributor.
Each death is 100% preventable. From cell phones to dashboard infotainment systems to evolving voice command features – all pose a threat to our safety. Just one second of your attention is all takes to change a life forever.
Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April is a united effort to recognize and eliminate preventable deaths from distracted driving. Visit our DDAM website to learn more about how you can help us save lives.