STUDY SHOWS EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION MAY NEED TO START AT HOME

Home Safety Council Provides Free Home Safety Tools and Resources To Companies and their Employees During Home Safety Month

WASHINGTON, DC (June 16, 2005) – Each year in the United States, there are an average of nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits due to unintentional injuries suffered at home, according to Home Safety Council’s State of Home Safety in America™ report. American businesses bear a significant burden of these home-related injuries, as the same study shows that home injuries can cost employers up to $38 billion in a single year.

The Home Safety Council is working to help reduce this alarming toll by introducing new free materials and resources during Home Safety Month that companies can use to educate employees and their families about how to apply injury prevention practices in and around their homes. This year’s Home Safety Month theme-- Hands on Home Safety-- encourages families to take a hands on approach to finding and fixing dangers within their home before an injury occurs.

“Home-related injuries not only affect the health and well-being of employees, but will impact a company’s bottom line due to loss of productivity, absenteeism and health care costs,” said Home Safety Council president Meri-K Appy. “During Home Safety Month we are asking companies to promote home safety education among its employee base and utilize the Home Safety Council’s free home safety materials and resources within the workplace.”

Becoming Hands On Home Safety

During Home Safety Month, the Council will concentrate on a single goal: making home safety easy for families to fit into their daily household routine. To meet this goal, the Home Safety Council is offering an online suite of safety resources specifically for corporate use.

The Home Safety Council Web site (www.homesafetycouncil.org) now offers one of the country’s most comprehensive online centers for home safety information, tips, checklists and resources and serves as the nucleus for this year’s Home Safety Month outreach efforts. A dedicated web page, www.homesafetycouncil.org/homesafetymonth, provides companies direct access to free tools and home safety materials.

Through the Web site, families, businesses, classrooms and safety advocates can access tools and information that help raise awareness and promote actions to keep families safe from home injuries. The new Home Safety Council Web site continues to evolve and improve, including these upgrades:

• Copy ready home safety articles available for corporate newsletters.
• A step-by-step guide to planning and implementing a safety fair.
• Downloadable brochures and posters companies can use to promote safe home practices.
• Home safety tips on topics ranging from fire safety and poison prevention to kitchen safety and home security.
• Spanish language versions of select materials.
• Content specifically designed as a resource for teachers and community educators.

To learn more about Home Safety Month and ways to stay safe in and around your home, visit www.homesafetycouncil.org.

About the Home Safety Council

The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year.  Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.