The Department of the Navy’s ongoing Safety Awareness Campaign is an integral component of the department’s overall safety culture that aims to increase awareness of the risks inherent in daily operations and activities, on and off duty. Promoting a Culture of Excellence, communication and professionalism helps to reduce mishaps and save lives.

“The safety of our Sailors, Marines, civilians and family members has a direct impact on fleet and warfighting readiness and therefore is a top priority,” said Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly. “Our people are our most important asset and every effort to provide a safe operating environment must be met with a sense of urgency.”

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) produced a series of safety videos to highlight various topics throughout the year as a reminder to all hands to be safe, both on and off duty. The intent of the videos is to increase awareness of risk management and procedural compliance. The focus of this month’s videos is hearing loss prevention, and slips, trips, and falls. 

Slips, trips, and falls are the number one cause of lost workdays in the Navy, according to a three-year study by the Naval Safety Center (NAVSAFECEN). Off-duty falls are the second leading cause of death next to highway crashes, according to the National Safety Council. On-duty ladder mishaps result in more lost workdays than any other mishap reported in the Web Enabled Safety System. Multiple factors contribute to falls on ladders, including running, carrying heavy objects that obstruct the view and movement, sliding down ladders and not utilizing handrails.

NAVSAFECEN reminds everyone that slips, trips, and falls are preventable. Slow down, use your trailing hand to hold the handrail while transiting a ladder and watch your step at all times to help ensure your safety.

Hearing loss may seem like something only older people have, but noisy working environments can create hearing loss in Sailors and Marines, regardless of age. The Hearing Loss Prevention videos remind viewers to stop and protect their ears before working around noisy conditions.

“We need to protect our ears when we’re in noisy work areas,” said NAVSAFECEN Industrial Hygiene Officer Lt. David Oba. “Hearing loss, no matter how small, is permanent. The extra 30 seconds to don appropriate hearing protection will prevent hazardous noise exposure and ensure a lifetime of good hearing.”

The videos are designed to be viewed individually, and may be downloaded for sharing within the workplace and with loved ones off-duty.   

To access the Department of the Navy Safety Videos, visit:

Get more information about the Navy from U.S. Navy Facebook or Twitter.

For more news from Naval Safety Center, visit www.navy.mil/.