Maine Injury Lawyer Blog
June is National Safety Month in Maine and throughout the country. In order to raise awareness, the National Safety Council is urging communities and businesses to practice safe behaviors at work and home to reduce the number of preventable injuries and car accidents in Maine and elsewhere.
Our Bangor accident attorneys know that safety is important, but it is often someone else’s irresponsible behaviors that can cause serious injury, so be prepared to take action if you are the victim of negligence.
The NSC has dedicated each week of the month to different safety topics. The first week, June 1-4, is dedicated to summertime safety. Numerous Safety & Health Fact Sheets are provided with a concentration on distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and home safety.
The focal point of week two, June 5-11, is preventing overexertion. Injuries in the lower back, sprains and strains, are the most prominent example of overexertion injuries. Overexertion is the third-leading cause of preventable injuries that are treated in a hospital emergency room.
June 12-18 is dedicated to teen driving safety. Creating awareness is critical in keeping roadways safe since 5,500 people are killed yearly in accidents with a teen driver involved.
The fourth week, June 19-25 focuses on preventing slips and fall accidents. Falls are a common cause for a trip to the emergency room, especially in older adults (55 and up).
The final week, June 26-30, places attention on driving and cell phone use. It is estimated that 23 percent of car accidents are caused by drivers distracted by cell phones.
A national observance of unintentional injuries and deaths is needed because the number of accidents is escalating to undesirable levels. In 2009, there were more than 128,000 unintentional deaths – a 47 percent increase since 1992. In comparison, the 1992 total (86,777) matched the lowest estimated total since 1924; the 2009 total was the highest estimated total ever recorded.
Each year, families throughout the country spend roughly $5,900 on medical expenses for unintentional injuries and trips to the hospital. These injuries cost Americans and their employers almost $700 billion a year.
As part of overexertion recognition week, the NSC offers the following safety and health tips:
-Keep your home and work environment clutter-free. Store things in a closet or cabinet.
-Refrain from using rolling chairs as a ladder to reach things.
-Stack heavy items near the bottom to avoid them falling on you or straining your back to lift them.
-Make routine visits to the eye doctor to check your vision. Make sure prescription eyeglasses are used when needed.
-Make sure outlets are not overloaded with cords to reduce the risk of a fire hazard.
Visit the website for more safety tips that can be used at work.
Maine residents can reduce the risk of unintentional injuries by being safe drivers, maintaining a safe home and work environment and using a little common sense when it comes to proper safety procedures.