Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. What is the mission and vision of the National Safety Council?
- A. The National Safety Council (NSC) is a nonprofit, non-governmental, international public service organization that promotes safety and health. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the NSC"s mission is to educate, protect, and influence society to adopt safety practices that prevent and mitigate human suffering and economic losses at work in our homes and communities and on our roads and highways. The mission of the National Safety Council, Greater Omaha Chapter (NSC, GOC) is to reduce the injuries and fatalities. Unintentional injuries are the fifth leading cause of death and first for those ages one to forty four.. Because accidental injuries and deaths – whether from a car crash, fall, poisoning, choking, fire, drowning or suffocation are preventable, the Council’s safety education programs are designed to reduce the risk of injury by increasing awareness of how, when, where and to whom accidents occur, and by introducing behaviors proven to reduce injuries.
- Q. How long has the Council served Omaha?
- A. Milestones for the Council:
1924: The Omaha Safety Council was incorporated
1935: The Omaha Safety Council became accredited by the National Safety Council and has received national accreditation annually since that time.
1987: Name was changed to the Safety and Health Council of Greater Omaha
1999: Moved into its headquarters building at 11620 M Circle
2003: Adopted its current name of the National Safety Council, Greater Omaha Chapter
Q. How large is the National Safety Council in Omaha?
A. Today, the Council is led by a 52 member volunteer board of directors,22 full time program and administrative staff and 102 part time instructors. The Council’s membership consists of more than 1,000 small, medium and large companies representing almost 250,000 employees.
In addition, the Council receives support from more than 400 individuals who volunteer on various committees and task groups to further the work of safety and health promotion in the metro area.
Q. Is it necessary to be a member of the Council to participate in their programs and events?
A. No it is not necessary to be a member to participate. Members, however, receive some complimentary benefits and reduced training fees.
Q. Does the NSC, GOC team up with any other organizations to promote safety?
A. The Council often partners with other nonprofit organizations, governmental entities and businesses to promote safety in the metro area. A partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, United Way of the Midlands, Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and Visiting Nurse Association is led by the Council to reduce falls among the elderly.
Q. Do you have other partners?
A. Our partners are government, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency services, hospitals, insurance providers, schools and businesses in the area. It is all these partners together which make up this organization which champions safety and health in Pottawattamie, Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, and Cass counties.
Q. What is the difference between your work and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration?
A. The National Safety Council’s focus is much broader than that of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA focus only includes road and traffic safety. They are also part of the federal government.
Q. How do you differ from OSHA - the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?
A. The National Safety Council provides training in OSHA standards. In fact, the Council is a member of a consortium with St Louis University and Kirkwood Community College in Iowa which has been named by the U.S. Secretary of Labor to provide training on the local level that replicates that of the OSHA Training Institute in Chicago.
OSHA is governmental, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. They provide enforcement of OSHA standards. In recent years, they are beginning to provide training also.
Q. Where does the NSC, GOC receive its funding?
A. Program revenue provides primary funding for the Council. The Council provides safety training and consulting in all venues. Other funding comes from membership, sales of program materials and contributions. All revenue goes back into the community through safety programs that support Safe Living, Safe Driving and Save Working.
Q. What is the primary safety focus?
A. Safe Living, Safe Driving and Safe Working are the primary focus of the Council. Strategic business units focus on areas such as conferences, occupational safety and health and membership which are primarily for businesses. The community unit provides a focus on safety for ages 0 – 14 and our older adult population through F1RST: Fall Intervention, Reaching Seniors Together. Our traffic unit focus is on the public at large through defensive driving programs, behind-the- wheel driving for teens and motorcycle safety training. Programs for the courts are primarily behavior modification.
Q. What kind of safety items are sold by the NSC, GOC?
A. The Council offers a wide variety of National Safety Council publications and training materials for home, community and business safety. The safety items offered include first aid kits, emergency preparedness kits, bicycle helmets and OSHA compliance training materials. The Council also offers Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) from Philips and Zoll.
Statistics show that about 300,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest every year in the U.S. OSHA estimates that approximately 10,000 cardiac arrests occur at work annually. That is why more automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are being installed in the workplace. They are already being used in airports, shopping malls, convention centers, theme parks and businesses all across America. The AED is a medical device designed to analyze the heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to victims of cardiac arrest. The shock attempts to restore the heart rhythm to normal.
