Each municipality received a fixed quantity of the following:

• Corded Earplugs
• Uncorded Earplugs
• Clear Safety Glasses
• Class III Safety Vests (no logos)
• Hard Hats
• And more!

The Rhode Island LTAP will be reaching out to Public Works Departments over the coming weeks and months to coordinate distribution/drop-off. To request a kit drop-off or to get more information, please email us at dot.RILTAP@dot.ri.gov.

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. 

NWZAW, occurring this year April 17^th - 21^st, has been successful in spreading awareness for work zone safety across the country. Hundreds of companies and individuals reach out to ATSSA on social media each year using #NWZAW. 

Everyone plays a role in work zone safety. NWZAW highlights the deadly dangers of inattention at highway and road work areas.

This year's weeklong commemoration includes:

• Work Zone Safety Training Day, April 17
• National kickoff event, April 18
• Go Orange Day, April 19
• Social media storm, April 20
• Moment of Silence, April 21

For more information, see the resources below.

As temperatures begin to warm, Spring projects begin to ramp up and that means so does the digging. Whether you're digging as part of your work or perhaps at home for a DIY project, it's important to remember that both homeowners and professional contractors share a responsibility to keep our communities safe and to keep our utility service uninterrupted, by preventing damage to buried underground pipes and cables while digging.

Every year, National Safe Digging Month (NSDM) is celebrated throughout the month of April. During the month, campaigns and activities focus on promoting safe digging to the general public and to professionals nationwide.

Ways to observe National Safe Digging Month:

• Use social media to share the hashtags #CallBeforeYouDig or #NationalSafeDiggingMonth to spread information and remind others how vital safe digging is
• Before you jump in the backhoe cab and get started, be sure 811 has been contacted and that underground utilities are marked
• Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on a topic like Planning for Safe Trenching Work, Trenching Checklist, excavation safety, potholing, or working around large equipment

For more information, see the resources below.

April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month and has been held every April since 1992. Stress Awareness Month is a time to bring attention to and have open conversations about the negative impacts of stress and raise awareness of the causes and cures of our modern-day stress epidemic.



Managing stress is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle and knowing how to manage stress can improve mental and physical well-being as well as minimize exacerbating health-related issues. Having fewer stressors leads to increased emotional stability, better moods, and overall superior health. The most crucial thing you can do when stressed or anxious? Make sure you are continuing to look after yourself. Make time to relax when you need to and learn to say no to requests that are too much for you.

What can you do for Stress Awareness Month?

• Talk about Stress and its effects – we can reduce the stigma by talking about stress openly with friends, family, and colleagues
• Share your coping mechanisms – if something has worked for you, why not share it with others? It might benefit someone you care about and in the meantime help you take your focus off of your own challenges
• Be nice to those who are stressed and anxious – we all experience stress and anxiety in our life so treat others going through it with compassion and empathy
• Look after yourself – we all need to think more about self-care and taking time out of our day to relax or do something that we enjoy; and don’t forget to exercise and eat well

You can’t remove stress entirely, but this month is a great time to pay special attention to how you can stay at a reduced stress level throughout the workday.

For more information, see the resources below.

Excerpt from: National Institutes of Health

APWA has announced the theme "Connecting the World Through Public Works" for the 2023 National Public Works Week.

Public works is the thread that connects us all, no matter where we live in the world. Every public works professional strives to improve the quality of life for the community they serve, leading to healthier, happier communities.

The "Connecting the World Through Public Works" theme highlights the way public works professionals connect us physically, through infrastructure, and inspirationally, through service to their communities, whether as first responders, or daily workers carrying out their duties with pride.

Public works help keep communities strong by providing an infrastructure of services in transportation, water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment, public buildings and spaces, parks and grounds, emergency management and first response, solid waste, and right-of-way management. Public Works are what make our communities great places to live and work.

For more information, see the resources below.

Excerpt from: American Public Works Association (APWA)

To commemorate National Electrical Safety Month each May, Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI, a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety in the home, school, and workplace) spearheads an annual campaign to educate key audiences about the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of electrically related fires, fatalities, injuries, and property loss.

ESFI’s National Electrical Safety Month 2023 campaign features a comprehensive collection of new and updated resources to help facilitate an effective electrical safety awareness campaign for communities, organizations, schools, or families. Included is an extensive collection of fact sheets and related safety tips, plus templates and tools that can be used to promote electrical safety and National Electrical Safety Month in your home, school, community, or workplace.

The 2023 National Electrical Safety Month theme is Electrification: E-Mobility. Materials for this year's campaign examine how the rapid advancements made to emerging technology, including electric vehicles, require further electrification and safe, efficient devices that can support this increased energy demand.

The campaign website and additional resources are listed below.

Excerpt from: Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI)

June has been declared Trench Safety Month since June 2020. This year’s event is the 4th annual Trench Safety Month and will occur at hundreds of job sites across the nation, reaching tens of thousands of workers. Trench Safety Month occurs each June and serves as a reminder of the importance of training to remind and reinforce with employers and the general workforce, the risks associated with working in a trench. Time and time again, evidence shows that the key to significantly reducing the risks associated with trenching and excavation is employee training and reinforcement.

Selecting June as Trench Safety Month is a natural tie-in to the lessons and demonstrations being completed at thousands of job sites during Trench Safety Stand Down Week. This year Trench Safety Stand Down Week takes place June 19 - 23, 2023.

For more information, see the resources below.

Excerpt from: National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA)

This is the perfect time to remind all those transporting items in truck beds to make sure everything is tied down and secure.

Unsecured loads cause lots of litter, but even worse, cause accidents and deaths to others on our roads.

Washington State resident Robin Abel started the Secure Your Load movement in 2004 after an unsecured load blinded and nearly killed her daughter, who was struck by a piece of particle board that flew out of a trailer ahead of her vehicle on the highway. At that time, there were no federal or state laws making unsecured loads a crime. In 2016, Robin started the Secure Your Load safety campaign and today, most U.S. states have signed proclamations declaring June 6^th as Secure Your Load Day.

"Secure your load as if everyone you love is driving in the car behind you." – Robin Abel

What can you do?

Drivers have a responsibility to ensure that the loads they carry on their vehicles are properly secured. It is especially important to make sure all items are secured when moving or towing furniture or large loads. Tie items down with rope, netting, or straps. Tie large objects directly to the vehicle or trailer. Cover the entire load with a tarp or netting. Never overload the vehicle. Always double-check to ensure that the load is secure before you hit the road.

What can you do as a driver to protect yourself?

Drivers can take steps to protect themselves from the threat of road debris and unsecured loads. Be sure to:

• Travel within the speed limit, stay the proper distance away from the vehicle in front of you, and give your complete attention to the road
• For every 10 mph you are driving, keep a full car length between you and the vehicle in front of you
• If you encounter debris on the road, do not panic or jerk the wheel hard as it could cause your vehicle to go out of control

For more information, see the resources below.