September 2026

Awareness starts with you! Each month brings a new chance to focus on important safety and health topics. See what’s being highlighted this September:

National Food Safety Education Month

September is National Food Safety Month. Did you know, 1 in 6 Americans experience foodborne illness every year? Follow these Safety Tips to keep you and your family safe during National Food Safety Education Month.

Do you work in food service and distribution? Check out our online training, Food Service and Distribution – HACCP Overview course to learn more!

National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month is a great time to take small steps to make a big difference in being prepared. Getting yourself, your family and your home ready for emergencies like home fires, power outages and local floods means you’re more prepared for disasters like wildfires, flash flooding, hurricanes and more.

Preparedness Starts at Home!

Construction Suicide Prevention Week

September 14-18, 2026

Did you know that the Construction Industry has the second highest rate of suicides in the US according to the CDC?

This year, Chesapeake Region Safety Council will be hosting our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course on October 2, 2026. MHFA teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults and learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

Together we can save lives.

Chesapeake Region Safety Council

Safety and Health Conference & Expo

September 24, 2026

Towson, MD

The Chesapeake Region Safety Council Safety and Health Conference & Expo offers unprecedented exposure attracting safety leaders and professionals across the Mid-Atlantic region. This event is a great opportunity to network with over 350 attendees during dedicated exhibitor sessions. Meet with potential customers and increase your brand awareness.

2025 Event Highlights

October 2026

Awareness starts with you! Each month brings a new chance to focus on important safety and health topics. See what’s being highlighted this October:

National Ergonomics Month

National Ergonomics Month is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of designing workplaces, tools, and daily environments to better fit people. This initiative promotes safe and healthy practices that reduce injuries, improve comfort, and boost productivity.

Join us for Ergonomics – Managing for Results and learn practical strategies to reduce workplace injuries, recognize musculoskeletal risk factors, conduct ergonomic analyses, and implement effective programs for lasting results.

National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

National Substance Abuse Prevention Month highlights the importance of stopping drug and alcohol misuse before it starts. Established in 2011, it recognizes the efforts of families, schools, and communities in promoting healthy choices, raising awareness, and supporting prevention programs that build stronger, safer communities.

Join us in October for two days of free courses including Impairment Education and Recognition Workshop, Reasonable Suspicion for Supervisors Trainer Course, and Naloxone Trainer.

National Protect Your Hearing Month

National Protect Your Hearing Month focuses on preventing noise-induced hearing loss by encouraging healthy listening habits. Everyday sounds, whether from concerts, sporting events, personal devices, or equipment like lawnmowers, can cause permanent hearing damage if precautions aren’t taken. By raising awareness and promoting simple protective steps, the month helps individuals safeguard their hearing and maintain long-term quality of life.

Learn more about preventing hearing loss by taking our online course, Hearing Conservation.

Fire Prevention Week

October 4-10, 2026

Fire Prevention Week is a time to focus on everyday safety at home and in the community. The week encourages families to talk about and practice fire escape plans, check smoke alarms, and pay attention to common fire risks like cooking, heating, and electrical use. It serves as an annual reminder of the importance of preparedness and awareness, highlighting how small safety habits can greatly reduce the chance of an emergency. By dedicating attention to fire prevention, this week helps build safer homes and communities and reinforces the value of protecting lives through simple, proactive steps.

Join us on October 24, 2025 for NFPA 70E – Electrical Safe Work Practices. This concise course reviews key updates in the 2024 NFPA 70E to reduce arc flash, shock, and electrocution risks. You’ll cover essentials like job safety analysis, PPE labeling, updated risk assessments (including human error), and incident investigation—giving you practical guidance to strengthen compliance and workplace safety.

Member Exclusive

Stop the Drop

October 9, 2026

Baltimore, MD

Struck By Incidents are the second leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry, with the largest percentage related to dropped objects. In alliance with OSHA and the AGC (Association of General Contractors) of Colorado, the Stop the Drop Taskforce is launching our Stop the Drop campaign. We know that a wide range of objects can be dropped on our construction projects and recognize there are multiple ways that we can protect people from being injured. We believe that most dropped objects can be eliminated by implementing one of our four Stop the Drop guiding principles.

Up to 5 representatives from each member company. Each representative may register 1 non-member guest.

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day

October 10, 2026

World Mental Health Day raises awareness of mental health issues and promotes efforts to support well-being worldwide. Established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health and supported by the World Health Organization, it encourages open conversations, reduces stigma, and advocates for accessible, quality mental health care for all. 

Join us on October 23, 2026 for our Whole Worker Health –  Ready to Work course. This course teaches participants to assess employee readiness and address factors such as stress, fatigue, wellness, and heat/cold stress. Emphasis is placed on leadership commitment, worker engagement, hazard reduction, privacy protection, and system integration to promote overall worker well-being.

Teen Driver Safety Week

October 18–24, 2026

It is important to discuss safe driving habits with teens every day, but Teen Driver Safety Week serves as an opportunity for parents and guardians to have a conversation with teens about safe driving habits. Teen drivers need to know the Rules of the Road before parents hand over the keys. Ultimately, it’s parents who are in control.

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for 15-20-year-olds. In 2023, there were 2,611 people killed in crashes involving a teen (15 to 18 years old) driver, and 822 were teen drivers themselves. Of the 2,611 people killed in crashes involving a teen (15-18 years old) driver, 604 were the passengers of a teen driver, and 377 (62%) of those fatalities were other teens riding with a passenger vehicle teen driver. Of those teen passengers killed while riding with another teen driver, 67% were male and 33% were female.

Sign up your teen or young adult driver for our Alive at 25 Defensive Driver course! Alive at 25 is a highly interactive, law-enforcement instructed defensive driving course and is directed to refreshing defensive driving skills and addressing decision-making behind the wheel. 

School Bus Safety Week

National School Bus Safety Week

October 19-23, 2026

National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties – to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety. Designed to promote school bus safety, school districts throughout the country observe School Bus Safety Week.

From 2015 to 2024, there were almost 1.5 times more fatalities among pedestrians (162) than occupants of school buses (119) in school-bus-related traffic crashes. A total of 204 school-age children (18 and younger) died in school-bus-related crashes during that period, either as occupants of school buses or other vehicles, or as pedestrians, bicyclists, or other nonoccupants. Of those deaths, 77 were pedestrians. From 2000 to 2024, there were 63 fatalities in crashes involving a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus, an average of 2.5 fatalities per year. Almost half of those fatalities (27) were pedestrians 18 years old or younger.

Respect the “Danger Zone.” The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone.” Specifically, this is any side of the bus where the bus driver can’t see the child and, therefore, the child is in the most danger. These areas include:

  • 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child
  • 10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spots
  • Behind the school bus

For more information about school bus stop safety, please visit nhtsa.gov by using the link below:

Work Zone Safety Summit

October 19, 2026

Join us on October 19, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM EDT at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, for a full-day summit focused on improving safety in and around roadway work zones. Transportation professionals, contractors, engineers, safety leaders, and government officials will come together to share industry updates, best practices, and collaborative solutions designed to protect both roadway workers and the traveling public.

Attendees may earn 4 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and will have access to all summit sessions, morning and afternoon breaks, and a full lunch buffet with a variety of options, including accommodations for special dietary needs. The MDOT Work Zone Safety Summit provides an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge, exchange ideas, and connect with professionals committed to advancing work zone safety throughout the region.

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week®

November 1-7, 2026

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, held every year during the first full week of November, is a good time to remember that drowsy driving is impaired driving.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 25 adult drivers report having fallen asleep while driving, and many more admit to driving when they were sleep-deprived.

These startling figures show how prevalent drowsy driving is. What drivers may not realize is how much drowsy driving puts them – and others – at risk. In fact, an estimated 6,400 people die annually in crashes involving drowsy driving, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Check out our upcoming Defensive Driving schedule to refresh your skills and learn strategies to avoid drowsy or distracted driving.

Manufacturers’ Expo

November 5, 2026

Join your peers from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in York, PA to connect to other manufacturers to build your supply chain, exhibit your capabilities, develop business opportunities, and attract new customers!  Discuss the latest manufacturing trends and topics, share their vision, become inspired, and immerse yourself in manufacturing culture.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

November 16, 2025

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is a global event to remember the many millions who have been killed and seriously injured on the world’s roads and to acknowledge the suffering of all affected victims, families and communities – millions added each year to countless millions already suffering: a truly tremendous cumulative toll.

This Day has also become an important tool for governments and all those whose work involves crash prevention or response to the aftermath of crashes, since it offers the opportunity to demonstrate the enormous scale and impact of road deaths and injuries, call for an end to the often trivial and inappropriate response to road death and injury and advocate for urgent concerted action to stop the carnage.

On World Day we too pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals, who deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.

Turkey in a safety vest with a banner saying Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Week

November 23-27, 2026

As we gather to reflect on what we’re grateful for, there’s no better time to invest in the skills that help protect ourselves and others. During Thanksgiving week, we’re offering a trio of essential safety and health courses designed to strengthen your knowledge and confidence on the job: First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, OSHA 502 – Update for Construction Industry Outreach TrainersOSHA 2055 – Cranes in Construction, and OSHA 7120 – Introduction to Combustible Dust Hazards.

Before you dive into the holiday festivities, spend a few days gaining valuable, life-saving expertise that benefits you, your team, and your workplace. Join us for this special week of training, and head into the season feeling empowered, prepared, and thankful for the tools that help keep everyone safe.

Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees

November 27-29, 2026

Did you know that the Chesapeake Region Safety Council participates each year in the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s annual Festival of Trees?

Each year, our team comes together to design a one-of-a-kind themed tree or gingerbread house that is showcased and auctioned off during this weekend-long event to benefit the incredible work of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Last year, our team created a beautiful tree centered around the theme “Safety is a Team Sport.”

This year, we’re excited to create another themed tree in support of this great cause. Stay tuned for our 2026 theme, and don’t forget to visit the Festival of Trees the weekend after Thanksgiving to see our tree and all the other amazing trees, wreaths, and gingerbread houses on display!