Since 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Safe + Sound week has been supporting and advancing the safety of employees in the workplace. This yearly initiative recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information, guidance and resources on workplace safety for employers and employees. In 2023, over nearly 4,000 businesses across the United States took part in this campaign, reaching nearly half a million workers with safety and health resources.
From implementing core safety program elements - like management and worker participation – to finding and fixing hazards, OSHA’s resources can help employers develop a robust safety program for their workplace.
Workers Are Key to Making Everyday Products
Nearly every product that is manufactured and most things you touch – clothes, smartphones, chairs, desks and so on – begins with chemistry. It’s the people behind these products who make the innovations that make modern life possible. Because of the efforts of over half a million American chemical industry workers, chemistry supports 25% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), and four million more Americans rely on the chemical industry to support their own jobs. It is critical that all workers have the knowledge and resources for manufacturing the products that Americans rely on, with safety top of mind.
ACC’s Responsible Care® Helps Support Workers
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is doing its part to support worker safety, in part through its Responsible Care® program, the chemical industry’s leading safety and sustainability initiative. For over 35 years, Responsible Care® has helped to protect the health and safety of people within our facilities, our communities and beyond. At its core, Responsible Care® means taking meaningful action to promote the safety of the business of chemistry – both inside the facility and throughout the supply chain.
And it’s making a real impact. 2023 Responsible Care® data shows that companies have achieved a 31% reduction in recordable injury and illness rate since 2010. Additionally, Responsible Care® companies reported the lowest ever TRIR (Total Recordable Injury and Illness Rate) in the history of Responsible Care® reporting, and zero fatalities for employees and contractors.
This is no accident. ACC members and Responsible Care Partners work to continuously improve worker safety records and overall health, safety, and environmental health performance. To support this important work, ACC provides resources, training and educational opportunities for members and Partners throughout the year. For example, each year, ACC hosts the Responsible Care® WorkshopPalooza, which brings together ACC members, Responsible Care Partners, and regional industry stakeholders to learn and share exemplary practices to help drive safety and sustainability practices. This year’s WorkshopPalooza will take place September 16-19 in Houston, TX and will include separate, full day workshops focused on occupational safety, emergency response, product safety and more.
Other ACC Venues Support Workplace Health and Safety
Although Safe & Sound week is one week in August, there are other ACC venues that help promote workplace health and safety all year round.
For example, Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response (TRANSCAER) is sponsored by ACC along with eleven other sponsoring organizations and is an outreach program covering North America. For nearly 40 years, TRANSCAER has focused on assisting communities and training emergency responders to prepare for and respond to hazardous material transportation incidents. In 2023, TRANSCAER held 1,080 in-person training events in various locations across the country training over 34,700+ from the emergency response community. Additionally, TRANSCAER’s online learning courses and webinars trained an additional 12,700+ individuals, bringing the program’s total trained to nearly 50,000 individuals for 2023. You can find TRANSCAER’s upcoming 2024 events here.
In addition, various industry groups at ACC have taken steps to help support workplace health and safety. Since 2017, ACC’s Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) along with the Diisocyanates (DII) and Aliphatic Diisocyanates (ADI) Panels have participated in a voluntary alliance with OSHA aimed at providing members and other stakeholders within the polyurethanes value chain with information, guidance, and access to training resources that promote the health and safety of workers. Through the alliance and beyond, these groups have developed numerous health and safety resources including:
- ACC Resources and Documents Libraries: ACC’s CPI and ADI and DII Panels have substantial resource libraries with important information on product stewardship and health and safety. These materials include information on industrial hygiene, worker protection, waste disposal, transportation requirements, and regulatory compliance.
- SPF Health and Safety Training Program: ACC’s CPI offers a free, online spray polyurethane foam (SPF) Chemical Health and Safety Training Program that covers hazard information on SPF ingredients, safety practices, handling and disposal, and work site safety controls. There are two versions of the program: U.S. and Canadian. The U.S. version is offered for both high- and low-pressure applications and available in both English and Spanish. The Canadian version is offered for high pressure applications and available in both English and French. SPF applicators, supervisors, contractors, and business owners working directly or indirectly with SPF are encouraged to take the training program.
- Safe Handling of MDI and TDI Video Series: ACC’s CPI developed two video series, in both English and Spanish, focused on the safe handling of Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) and Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI). This series, updated in 2020, aims to teach employers and employees about the potential hazards associated with transporting MDI and TDI. In addition, they provide information on PPE, unloading procedures, proper disposal of waste, and practices to minimize potential risks.
OSHA’s Safe + Sound week is more than just a week recognizing efforts for workplace health and safety; ACC remains committed to workplace health and safety all year long through various programs, trainings, and product stewardship efforts. Chemistry is the backbone for the products that make modern life possible and it’s important that we support the men and women who help create these products with the knowledge, tools, and resources for a healthy and safe workplace.
How You Can Get Involved
Join Safe + Sound Week by participating in one the challenges from OSHA, such as holding a “Hazard Huddle” discussion with your workers about the hazards they may face on the job or a “Safety Shuffle” challenge by looking more closely at the jobs in your workplace. These challenges promote skill and knowledge sharing between workers and managers as well as engage workers to help find and fix potential hazards.
The week of August 12-18, join CPI on X and LinkedIn where we will be highlighting workplace health and safety programs designed by OSHA and sharing information and ideas on how to help keep America’s workers #SafeAndSoundAtWork.