Here we take a look at some important facts about workplace safety.
Manali Oak
It is your workplace where you spend a major part of your day. It is like your second home. This makes it important for the employers to cater to the needs of their employees. The employees should feel safe and comfortable while working.
Apart from work culture, company policies, and ergonomic considerations, workplace safety is also a determinant of employee happiness. After all, happy and satisfied employees make a productive workforce.
Facts
According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, 5,190 workers succumbed to occupational injuries in 2016.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted that people engaged in logging, working with metals, roofing and extractive occupations have to face fatal risks at work. Truck drivers and construction workers have to endanger their lives as a part of their occupation.
According to the information from the year 2016, logging workers met with 135.9 fatalities per 100,000 employees, which was the highest count among civilian occupations.
Truck drivers and driver/sales workers met with 24.7 fatalities per 100,000 employees.
Research reveals that work accidents cost billions per year for companies. The number of deaths and injured at work is quite high.
Very little is known about the workplace safety of Americans before the late nineteenth century. American railroads of the nineteenth century and mining activities proved dangerous for the workers. With the passage of time, employers began to realize the need for their employees' safety. They came up with schemes that dealt with workplace safety.
Ultimately, workplace safety is about considering the health and well-being of the people who work for you and those who work with you. The most important assets of an organization are its employees. Their safety and well-being is of utmost importance. We must always remember that human lives are priceless.
Importance
A safe situation is the one where the risk of injuries or damage to property is low. Safety is generally meant to impact the risk of death or injury during work. Different employees do different types of work in an organization. Some types of work may involve high risks. There are some professions that are known to be hazardous.
Organizations need to ensure the safety of their workers by dealing with all the safety issues raised by the machinery and/or equipment involved. Workplace safety is a responsibility of the management. It includes the formation and execution of safety programs and policies.
Insurance is often seen as something that can restitute the loss caused to the employee while working. The company can issue policies for the employees to help them feel financially secure. Workers in the engineering and chemical industries need to be protected from the dangers that their professions carry.
Those working with fire or electricity always face serious threats to their life. Those serving in defense services are at a constant risk of losing their life. Even the war journalists have to often confront dangerous situations.
To safeguard people involved in such risk-bearing professions, their organizations should employ safety procedures and practices and provide the employees with proper training of dealing with accidents at work. A measurement of risk and risk management through proper safety inspections is vital for the safe functioning of an organization.