According to the United States Department of Labor, the weekly cost nationwide to employers for workers’ compensation claims for injuries at work are almost $1 billion. It has also been estimated that the average cost of each individual workplace injury is $38,000. With these statistics in mind, it is easy to understand why it is so important for businesses to place a major emphasis on providing the safest environment possible for all of their employees.
Tips for Implementing Safety Measures
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has certain guidelines in place for work place safety in every industry. Ensuring that all of these proven steps are taken can dramatically reduce each employee’s risk of becoming injured, and it will also help you avoid dealing with a large quantity of missed work hours. Additionally, there are several other common sense measures that you can implement to keep everyone as healthy and safe as possible.
1. Never Take Shortcuts
If your employees feel pressured into taking shortcuts in order to complete a job more quickly, they will become much more likely to get injured. This can range from serious issues to more minor complications such as a strained muscle.
2. Consider Offering Telecommuting for Sick Employees
Although an illness such as the flu does not typically fall under the heading of preventing workplace accidents, it can actually have an impact on an employee’s odds of making a catastrophic mistake that could lead to an injury or even a fatality. After all, people are not as capable physically and mentally when they are ill. It is also important to consider the overall impact of putting someone into a position where they are forced to spread their germs throughout the entire workplace. Ultimately, this could make the majority of your team unhealthy, and you will end up dealing with massive quantities of lost hours and productivity.
3. Regularly Inspect All Workplace Vehicles
OSHA has indicated that accidents that occur while people are driving for work rack up $60 billion in medical bills and lost wages every year. Therefore, any work vehicles that are utilized by a member of your team should be inspected on a monthly basis to ensure that there are no mechanical defects that could cause a serious injury.
The Risks of Not Providing Proper Workplace Safety
The financial aspect of failing to properly take care of your employees has been well-documented, but it is also important to consider the human element. For example, a 64-year-old lost his life in December 2005 after his clothing became stuck in a semi-truck tractor’s drive train. An investigation of this incident determined that the employee might not have been properly trained, and they were also questions about the employer’s lockout program and vehicle maintenance procedures.
In a situation like this one, the deceased individual’s family members would have the option to contact a truck accident/personal injury attorney to help them take legal action against the responsible party. Cofman Townsley explains that an experienced lawyer can make it easier to collect a settlement due to the fact that they will “provide investigators, case managers, and all necessary support personnel” to assist with the case. It is also possible that a wrongful death suit could be filed if evidence is found that a lack of proper workplace safety procedures led to the incident.
As you can see, it is critical for all companies to carefully analyze their current workplace safety measures to make sure that they are all being properly utilized. After all, having a list of safety rules in place that is not enforced will not help you prevent your employees from becoming injured or ill on the job. Instead, you need to make sure that you protect your employees and the company by implementing safety procedures and putting them into action on a daily basis.
Lisa Coleman shares how implementing proper safety procedures and training is imperative for employee safety. She researched and viewed information provided by Cofman Townsley, injury attorneys in St. Charles MO, to help her complete this piece.
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