Safe Workplace and Safety News

This is the safety news blog for the Safe Workplace web site. We cover workplace safety related news with a focus on how safety, or a lack of safety, impacts employers, employees and their families. We also cover topics such as safety training, safety tools, and legal issues related to safety. For regular safety news and information enter your email address in the box above the Subscribe button to the right (then click on the button).

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Nearly Three Workers Killed And 123 Injured Every Day

The following is a press release from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse. This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 7-11)

Washington, D.C. — In 2006, 1,010 people were killed in roadway work zone crashes. According to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, more than 1,000 people are killed and 45,000 injured annually in roadway construction zones accidents. The facility released the statistics today as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which is aimed at drawing greater public attention to this serious—and often overlooked—public health issue.

A newly redesigned and comprehensive state-of-the-art website contains a wealth of information dedicated to improving safety in these sites for both motorists and workers. Transportation design, construction and safety executives, public officials, the news media and general public are encouraged to check out www.workzonesafety.org to find:

“Best practice,” information
Accident and crash data
Key safety engineer contact information
Laws and regulations
Public education campaigns
Training and conferences
Research and publications
Spanish language material

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF) and the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) designed the Internet site under a contract from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

ARTBA-TDF has another unique program aimed at putting a “public face” on the safety risks associated with road construction zones. Established in 1999 with a generous contribution from brothers Jack and Stan Lanford, two Virginia highway contractors and past ARTBA chairmen, the “Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship” provides post-high school financial assistance to the children of highway workers who have been killed or permanently disabled on the job.

More than 50 scholarships have been given to worthy students from around the country. The program is the ARTBA Foundation’s modest way of giving something back to the families who lost loved ones in work zone accidents.

Check out this special video to learn more about how you can help support the scholarship.

For further information about any of ARTBA’s safety and training programs, contact Brad Sant at 202-289-4434.

Labels: Construction Safety, workplace fatalities