OK—maybe not in the cradle. But certainly a strong case can be made that safety training should start with children long before they enter the workplace. After all, if you instill good, basic safety practices in kids when they’re young, they’re more likely to retain those practices when they grow up and start working. Plus, they’ll be more aware of safety issues and maybe more amenable to safety training in the workplace. Safety Poster Contest The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) seems to believe in the get ‘em while they’re young philosophy. On March 4, it announced the winners in its 8^th annual kids’ “safety-on-the-job” poster contest. ASSE received more than 850 posters from children aged 5-14 from 34 U.S. states and Australia, Canada, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, India and Kuwait. The goal: teach children what their parents, relatives and friends do every day to prevent injury and illness at work. Click here to see the overall winning posters as well as the age group winners. The contest is open to ASSE members’ children, friends, co-workers’ children and/or organizations and schools they sponsor. The first place posters are featured on the 2010 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH, May 2-8) Week poster sent to thousands of businesses worldwide. The contest winners, contestants and families will also be recognized during ASSE NAOSH Week kick-off events in May.   Engaging Kids on Workplace Safety Do you talk about workplace safety with your children? For example, do you explain why Dad has to wear a hardhat when he goes to work at a construction site? What are some ways to engage children in workplace safety? Speaking of Safety Contests… The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), regional office of the World Health Organization, invites you to send photographs of your healthy and safe workplace. PAHO is promoting a comprehensive approach to health, safety, and wellness in the workplace. It involves action in four areas:

1. Physical work environment;
2. Psychosocial work environment;
3. Personal health resources (access to occupational health services, health promotion); and
4. Enterprise community involvement.

Prizes: First place $500 USD, second place $300 USD, and third place $100 USD. The three winners will have their photographs published by PAHO/WHO. And PAHO will present the selected photographs during the 2010 World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Eligibility: The contest is open to every worker living in the region of the Americas. The entrant must be the sole author and owner of the photo and photos cannot be enhanced in any way using graphics software. Deadline for submissions: March 31, 2010 (Click here for details)