5 Ways to Celebrate National Safety Month this June

By: Jana L. Davidson, Education Content Specialist for the Progressive Agriculture FoundationSafety is no accident! Making safe decisions are choices we make day-in and day-out throughout our entire life. In an effort to help save lives and prevent injuries, the National Safety Council has highlighted June as National Safety Month. The Progressive Agriculture Foundation also supports this initiative. Whether in the workplace, on the roadway, at home or on the farm, these five tips will help keep you, your families and your entire community safer, healthier and happier.

1. Stand Ready to Respond – Keep emergency numbers nearby and add them as contacts in your cell phone. Always watch children around the home or farm, so they are never left unsafe or unsupervised around water, chemicals or grain. Be proactive and become certified in first aid and CPR.
2. Be Healthy – Safeguard your health by being aware of medication interactions and keep all medications out of a child’s reach. Adopt a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a balanced diet, exercise and getting plenty of sleep.
3. Watch Out for Dangers – Be sure to analyze your home or farm for hidden hazards to avoid slips and falls. Also, pay attention when walking. Distractions, such as cell phones, can cause you to walk into someone or something.
4. Share Roads Safely – From newly licensed teens to aging drivers with health condition, strive to make good driving choices. Ensure that focusing on the road and avoiding distractions are a top priority.
5. Commit to Host a Safety Day - If you are interested in conducting a 2017 Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® for your community, applications are being accepted through July 15, 2016. The Progressive Agriculture Foundation provides training and resources for the Safety Day Coordinator, as well as t-shirts, take-home bags and insurance coverage for all youth participants and adult volunteers involved. To apply to host a Safety Day or for more information about the program, visit progressiveag.org or call us toll-free at 888-257-3529.

The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America. Since 1995, more than 1.4 million children and adults have been impacted through Safety Days. With lessons for more than 28 topics, each Safety Day has the freedom to focus on safety and health-related issues appropriate for their community. Annually, more than 400 local community and school Progressive Agriculture Safety Days are conducted throughout North America.Photo: The vision of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation is that no child will become ill, injured or die from farm, ranch and rural activities. Progressive Agriculture Safety Days®, like this event in Eastern Iowa, are designed to be age-appropriate, hands-on, fun and safe for all children.