This week eESI is taking a close look at workplace safety. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 5,190 workplace fatalities in FY 2016 costing the U.S. economy $200 billion. Non-fatal injuries can cost a business an average of $70,000 per incident. While workplace safety should foremost be about keeping your employees injury-free, the economic costs of failing to create a workplace free of hazards can’t be ignored. Despite the risks, some employers don’t take the time to implement simple steps that could help prevent the personal and financial losses caused by a workplace injury or death.
In this latest episode of the eESI podcast titled Workplace Safety and the Potential Risk Cost, we spoke with eESI risk management consultants John Titus and Charlene Ledford Layne to learn why safety training should be an integral part of your company’s risk prevention plans.
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Why is Safety Training Important for Small and Medium Size Businesses?
John and Charlene told us that some employers say that they don’t have time for safety training or that they believe their workplace is safe enough. But the numbers tell a different story. While small to mid-size business owners might think that they can’t afford to take time out for safety, the truth is that they can’t afford not to.
Our guest Charlene Ledford Lanye pointed out that training your employees to avoid common safety hazards is not only the smart choice financially, it is also the law. A failure to provide appropriate training can result in significant fines.
John Titus added that a failure to maintain a safe workplace can affect a business’s reputation too. Larger corporations will check a contractor’s citation history at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website when screening new business partners. Titus also told us that a sound safety policy should focus on eliminating your workplace’s biggest risks.
What are the top workplace hazards and what can you do to prevent them in your workplace?
Construction and industrial settings are a common source of OSHA violations. Fall protection, hazard communication, and scaffolding violations were the top three violations recorded by OSHA for FY 2017. Inadequate respiratory protection, improper lockout/tagout procedures and unsafe use of ladders also made the list. SHRM’s Lisa Nagele-Piazza supplies more details on the results of OSHA’s annual report in Top 10 OSHA Violations for 2017.
Awareness of these hazards is a first step to preventing them according to the SFM article, Top 7 workplace safety tips. Our eESI risk management experts tell us that making your employees aware of hazards is an important part of your safety program. It takes more than just common sense to identify many workplace risks.
And, while it may take time to conduct a full assessment of your workplace and create a comprehensive training program, you can start improving your workplace safety today. This chart prepared by the National Safety Council offers a list of the Top 10 Preventable Workplace Incidents with actionable tips to prevent each one. But that is not enough to protect your workplace; you’ll probably want to enlist the help of someone who knows the laws, and is experienced in developing a training program unique to your business, and effective to truly help protect your company.
Of course, eESI is your partner when it comes to creating a safe and healthy work environment. Our safety training programs can help you keep your employees safe and your business running smoothly. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your business thrive, just give us a call. Your success is our business. Call 1-512-495-1171, or contact us at Risk@eESIpeo.com
