The American Society of Safety Engineers has a goal for North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH Week). That goal is zero.

"In 2009, more than 4,000 people lost their lives from on-the-job injuries and never made it home," says the ASSE. "We’d like to move that number to 0."

ASSE is using NAOSH Week (May 6-12) to urge people to get better educated about the positive benefits a safe workplace provides not only for workers, but for their families, friends, businesses, their local communities and the global community.

NAOSH Week, a joint production of the ASSE and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) is intended to raise awareness about occupational safety, health and the environment. Several organizations representing thousands of businesses partner with ASSE and CSSE, including U.S. federal agencies (like OSHA) to reach millions of people around the globe on the importance of being safe at work.

Past NAOSH Week activities have included fleet safety classes, ergonomic awareness events, the distribution of information about catastrophe preparedness,  teen worker safety and roadway crash prevention. The two organizations have also used the event to develop teen worker safety courses, help Habitat for Humanity, and hold a personal protective equipment (PPE) fashion show. In past years, NAOSH themes have included: mining safety; transportation safety, as transportation accidents are the number one cause of on-the-job deaths; youth workplace safety; and more.

By the way, Wednesday, May 9th is Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day (OSHP Day).

For information on this year's NAOSH Week, go to: www.asse.org/naosh.