As a reliable elevator company, DAY Elevator & Lift is focused on promoting safety in the home and community by providing high-quality accessibility equipment. June is observed as National Safety Month (NSM) across the United States. Sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC), NSM aims to raise public awareness about top safety issues and steps to reduce the risk of injuries.
Accidental injury has become the third leading cause of death in the United States for the first time in recorded history. The number of traumatic injuries treated in the emergency room (ER) nearly doubles during the summer. NSM is an ideal platform for individuals, employees, families, workplaces, and communities across the country to identify key safety issues and find ways to reduce them. The theme for NSM 2018 – “No 1 Gets Hurt” – emphasizes the need to “start thinking about one change you can make to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your co-workers safe”. NSM focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the roads, and in homes and communities. As part of the campaign, the NSC highlights a different safety topic for each week in June –
- Week 1: Emergency Preparedness
- Week 2: Wellness
- Week 3: Falls
- Week 4: Driving
According to Injury Facts, the source for statistical data on unintentional injuries created by the NSC, slips, and falls account for nearly one-third of all non-fatal injuries in the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall and many more are injured.
Here are some simple steps that the NSC recommends to reduce the risk of falls among older adults:
- Find a community falls prevention program: To contact your local agency, visit the fall prevention site https://www.ncoa.org/healthy-aging and enter your zip code.
- Practice balance exercises at home. Check out the Go4Life program offered by the National Institute on Aging at NIH.
- Check your risk for falling: Take this simple CDC self-assessment test to get your score, and share the results with your doctor.
Incorporating simple safety measures like installing handrails/grab bars and installing accessibility devices such as stair lifts, platform lifts, and elevators in homes and workplaces can reduce the risk of falls among older adults and people with mobility issues. Other important fall prevention measures include cleaning spills and removing debris immediately, securing mats, rugs, and carpets that do not lie flat, and ensuring proper lighting.
Join the National Safety Month celebration. Spread the word on how to reduce the risk of injuries and encourage your family and as well as employees to identify and report safety hazards. Make safety a part of your life by continuing to focus on safety activities and practices at work and at home all day and every day.
Let the professionals at Day Elevator & Lift help you. Contact us at (800) 758-5438 or fill out our online contact form for more information on reducing the risk of injuries with the proper accessibility and mobility devices.
