The Brock community will join Canadians in raising awareness about the effects of injuries on Wednesday, July 5.

Held annually, National Injury Prevention Day (NIPD) aims to prevent serious injuries on the road, at work, at home and at play by sharing information and educational tools.

Injury is the leading cause of unintentional death among Canadians under the age of 44.

Every day, 48 Canadians die because of injuries and 75 per cent of these deaths have unintentional causes such as car accidents, poisonings and falls. Preventable injuries kill more Canadian children than any disease and more youth than all other causes combined.

“Everyone plays an important role in preventing injuries by being aware of any risks or hazards both within the workplace as well as in everyday life,” says Kayla Wilcox, Brock’s Occupational Health and Safety Specialist.

Brock’s Health, Safety and Wellness team supports employees by developing and implementing programs, policies, procedures and training initiatives that promote safety and wellness in the workplace.

Faculty and staff interested in learning more about health, safety and wellness resources at Brock can visit the Health, Safety and Wellness Toolbox on SharePoint.

To report an incident, injury, near miss or health and safety hazard at Brock, fill out an injury/incident report or tell a person of authority, such as an area supervisor or Brock employee. Completed reports and questions can be directed to besafe@brocku.ca or 905-688-5550 x7233.

“Any hazards and near miss incidents should be communicated to a supervisor and documented in order to promote a safer environment at Brock University,” says Wilcox.

More information on National Injury Prevention Day is available through Parachute, a charitable organization focused on injury prevention.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to share messages of prevention on social media with the hashtags #TurnSafetyOn and #BrockU.

The Schmon Tower will also be lit in green on Wednesday, July 5 as part of Light up Canada! to raise awareness about the importance of injury prevention.