About Safety Break for Oregon

About

What is Safety Break?

Oregon OSHA coordinates this one-day event, designed to raise awareness and promote the value of workplace safety and health. The event is flexible to meet an employer's needs, and health and safety activities are determined by individual employers. For ideas on how to participate, see the tools page.

Why take a Safety Break?

Taking a Safety Break is about renewing efforts to send workers home safe to their families at the end of the day. Such efforts can reduce workers’ compensation and insurance costs, and increase productivity. 

When employers participate in Safety Break, they show their commitment to workplace safety to employees and their families, as well as the community in which they do business. Valuing on-the-job safety – and communicating that value to others – can translate to stronger community and business relationships. It can also positively influence recruitment of new employees. (See History)

When is Safety Break?

Safety Break falls on the second Wednesday in May, and events are held at worksites across the state.

How do we take a Safety Break?

Ideas for hosting a Safety Break event from participating companies

Tools for Safety Break for Oregon

Participate all year long with Oregon OSHA services and products

History of Safety Break

Oregon OSHA launched Safety Break for Oregon in 2003 at the urging of industry leaders who were concerned about an increase in workplace deaths during 2002.

Oregon OSHA attributed the 2002 increase to the state's lagging economy, which resulted in some companies laying off employees in safety-related positions. But members of the business community, including construction companies, were concerned that other factors were involved.

In response, Oregon OSHA agreed to help organize and promote a day dedicated to safety awareness. Since then, Safety Break for Oregon has annually called on employers across the state to spend time engaging workers in a conversation about safety, and to renew their focus on identifying and eliminating hazards. 

Who is participating in Safety Break?

Sign up and add your business to the list of Safety Break participants

Testimonials

Learn about the drawing sponsored by SHARP Alliance