NEWS  RELEASE

The Department of Consumer and Business Services, Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) is encouraging employers across Oregon to participate in the fourth annual Safety Break for Oregon on May 10, 2006.

Oregon OSHA coordinates the one-day event, designed to raise awareness and showcase the value of workplace safety and health in preventing injuries and illnesses. This event is designed to be flexible and easily adapted to an employer's safety and health program needs.

The theme being promoted for the 2006 Safety Break event is "Getting There Safely."

"Two very common workplace incidents are slips, trips and falls and motor vehicle accidents," said Kevin Weeks, coordinator of the event for Oregon OSHA. "Over 1,800 Oregon workers each year are seriously injured by trips and falls to the floor at the same level, and motor vehicle deaths still account for one-quarter of workplace deaths in the United States. If employers can help their workers get from one to point to another in their workday safely, those prevention efforts will have a significant impact on reducing injuries in the workplace."

An event outreach kit, discussion points about safety, and electronic graphics for the event will be available on the Oregon OSHA Web site, www.orosha.org, during late January 2006.

More information and resources for workplace safety and health are available on Oregon OSHA's Web site, www.orosha.org

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