On April 23, the National Safety Council launched a new effort to safely guide employers in getting back to work when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Not to be confused with FEMA’s SAFER grants, SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns will issue recommendations and develop guidance for employers as they navigate the changed work environment.
SAFER was created in partnership with Fortune 500 companies, leading safety organizations and public health experts. It’s the first national task force focused on worker safety.
Breaking Down SAFER
The intention of SAFER is to bring these groups together to share their expertise, develop industry and risk-specific resources, and to make recommendations for U.S. employers of all sizes.
SAFER will also:
- Identify complexities in reengaging the workforce, including contractors, by partnering with human resources, legal, labor, healthcare and workers compensation providers
- Develop general and sector-specific playbooks to help America’s businesses align worker safety with business objectives
Recent: OSHA Considers “Good Faith” Efforts During Pandemic
The task force aims to come together to craft and issue resources across all industry sectors with the goal of quickly disseminating life-saving information so that employers do not have to lose time on trial and error.
“The manner in which employers bring people back to work will define our national response to the pandemic,” said Lorraine M. Martin, president and CEO of NSC.
“For more than a century, NSC has been helping employers put safety at the forefront of all their decisions, and we are once again taking action to continue serving this important role. With SAFER, we are confident we’re bringing the best minds together to ensure Americans have the safest transition back to work so we can truly flatten the curve and enable people to live their fullest lives.”
Here are the current SAFER task force members:
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AAA AECOM Ameren American Chemistry Council American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine American Contractors Insurance Group American Industrial Hygiene Association American Petroleum Institute American Society of Safety Professionals American Trucking Association Associated General Contractors Avetta BNSF Board of Certified Safety Professionals Captive Resources Cementos Progreso Chemours COVE: Center of Visual Expertise Cummins Cushman & Wakefield Dow Electric Power Research Institute ERM |
FirstGroup Grainger HR Source Kennedy Forum Illinois Krause Bell Group Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation McDonald’s Michael Best & Friedrich LLP NASA NIOSH – CDC NSC Chapter Network NSC Divisions & Delegates ORC HSE Strategies LLC Owens Corning Parsons Retail Industry Leaders Association Uber United Rentals U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S. Steel USG Walgreens Waymo WorkCare |
As of April 1, 55 states and territories have had some sort of non-essential businesses closure. And, 28 states and territories have issued closure orders for non-essential businesses and prohibited in-person workforces.
The pandemic has further complicated employer response to mitigate risk among rising workplace fatalities. Following the advice and recommendations from the NSC and OSHA can help keep your workplace safe and healthy throughout the the pandemic.
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