June is National Safety Month
PUBLISHED: June 16, 2010
June is National Safety Month
On June 9, 2008, The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to support resolution (H. Res. 1225) that designates June 2008 as National Safety Month.
The National Safety Council (NSC) traditionally hosts National Safety Month every June to promote safety throughout the country.
Each week this month, the National Safety Council will be focusing on a different critical safety issue.
Week 1 - Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention
Week 2 - Teen Driving Safety
Week 3 - Preventing Overexertion at Work and Home
Week 4 - Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving
Week 5 - Summer Safety
More information about the weekly safety topics is available at the National Safety Council's website, www.nsc.org.
Congresswoman Melissa Bean is dedicated to safeguarding families and has worked tirelessly on behalf of several safety issues including:
Internet Safety
Congresswoman Bean's SAFER NET legislation,became law in October 2008 as part of S. 1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act. The law directed the FTC to become a national clearinghouse for Internet Safety information and increased industry accountability by establishing a working group through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to review and evaluate industry efforts.
Bean helped introduce H.R. 3845, the PROTECT Act (Providing Resources Officers and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to our Children Act). The bill, authored by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) will build a strong nationwide network of highly trained law enforcement experts to track down known sex offenders. It provides resources for following offenders' Internet footprints online.
Bean was also a co-sponsor of H.R. 719, the KIDS Act (Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act). The bill, authored by Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), requires sex offenders to register their e-mail and instant message addresses with the National Sex Offender Registry, as they now register their physical addresses.
Drinking Water Safety
Concerned about the still-unknown effects of pharmaceuticals and household chemicals in our drinking water, U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Barrington, amended the national water policy to require a comprehensive analysis by government scientists.
Bean's amendment requires the study as part of H.R. 1145, the National Water Research and Development Initiative Act. This bill coordinates national research and development efforts on water and provides for development of a national water strategy.
Bean's amendment, cosponsored with reps. Betty McCollum of Minnesota , Carolyn McCarthy of New York , and Gerald Connolly of Virginia , was incorporated into the manager's amendment offered by House Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon, which passed.
The full bill, including Bean's language, passed the House 413 to 10.
Product Safety
More independent testing for lead, stricter lead standards and greater resources for inspectors are all part of a major overhaul of consumer product safety regulations included in H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 407-0.
H.R. 4040 includes several provisions that originated in an earlier bill that Congresswoman Bean helped introduce: H.R. 3903, the Kids Toy Safety Act. Her parent-friendly provisions include:
- Third-Party testing of children's products: The bill mandates pre-market testing of many children's products for lead and other hazards by certified laboratories.
- Tracking labels to aid recalls: The bill requires manufacturers to place distinguishing marks on products and packaging of children's products to aid in recall of children's products.
- Improved public notice: The bill improves public notice about recalls by disseminating recall information through the Internet, radio and television.
Local Safety Resources:
Illinois Department of Public Safety, http://www.illinois.gov/safety/
Safe Kids Illinois State, http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/coalitions/illinois-state.html
National Safety Resources:
Driver Safety Information
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, http://www.aaafoundation.org/about_us/
Internet Safety Information
Be Safe Online: OnGuard Online, http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/naps22.pdf
A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety, http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm
Wired Safety, http://www.wiredsafety.org/parent.html
GetNetWise, http://www.getnetwise.org/
Home Safety
Safe Resource.org, http://www.safetyresource.org/homesafety.html
Federal Emergency Management Agency , http://www.fema.gov/
Occupational Safety
Occupational Safety & Health Administration-Safety Tips, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/index.html
Health Safety
Center for Disease Control & Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/
