OSHA compliance shouldn’t just be about meeting the bare minimum requirements.
While employers do have a duty to provide a safe environment for their workers, being proactive about workplace safety and health also improves your company’s bottom line.
Every year, workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses cost the U.S. billions of dollars. In Liberty Mutual’s 2023 Workplace Safety Index, the company estimated that in 2023, employers paid more than $1 billion per week towards workers’ compensation costs for disabling workplace injuries.
That means that maintaining a safe and healthy work environment isn’t just a moral obligation or legal requirement, but also a smart business decision. By prioritizing occupational health and safety, you not only protect your employees, but also enhance your bottom line.
Let’s take a look at some of the key strategies and benefits of improving workplace safety and health.
Related Article: The Costs of Overlooking Medical Surveillance
Related Article: The Benefits of Mobile Medical Testing
The Business Case for Workplace Safety
Investing in occupational health and safety initiatives can yield significant returns for businesses. Reduced worker’s compensation costs, lower absenteeism rates, and improved employee morale are just a few of the financial benefits associated with a safe work environment.
Additionally, organizations that prioritize safety often experience increased productivity, reduced turnover, and enhanced reputation among clients and stakeholders.
- See BLS publication on Employer Costs for Employee Compensation – December 2023.
- See OSHA publication on Safety Pays Program.
- See CSB publication on Business Case for Safety.
Implementing Effective Safety and Health Management Systems
According to the National Safety Council, work-related injuries and deaths cost the U.S., employers, and individuals an estimated $167 billion in 2022 alone.
That’s a staggering amount.
That number includes costs associated with injuries and illnesses, such as workers’ compensation payments, medical expenses, lost productivity, and OSHA penalties.
A well-designed safety management system can help you systematically identify, assess, and control workplace hazards. This system should include elements such as safety policies, procedures, and responsibilities; hazard identification and risk assessment processes; employee training and competency requirements; and incident reporting and investigation protocols.
By implementing effective safety and health management systems, you’ll significantly reduce injuries and illnesses in the workplace. Therefore, you’ll greatly improve your bottom line.
Additionally, companies that make these improvements usually see significant improvement in both productivity and morale.
Improving Workplace Safety and Health
Here are some tips to help improve workplace safety and health at your jobsite:
Identifying and Mitigating Workplace Hazards
The first step in improving workplace safety is to identify potential hazards. This can be achieved through regular safety audits, employee feedback, and incident investigations. Once hazards have been identified, it is crucial to implement effective control measures to mitigate risks. These measures may include engineering controls (e.g., machine guarding), administrative controls (e.g., safe work procedures), and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Fostering a Culture of Safety
Creating a culture of safety within an organization is essential for long-term success. This involves promoting safety as a core value, encouraging employee participation in safety initiatives, and recognizing and rewarding safe behaviors. Effective communication, training, and leadership are key components of a strong safety culture.
Continuous Improvement and Evaluation
Improving workplace safety is an ongoing process that requires continuous evaluation and improvement. Organizations should regularly review their safety performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions as needed. This may involve setting measurable safety goals, conducting safety audits, and seeking feedback from employees and stakeholders.
Top Workplace Safety & Health Compliance Resources for Employers
OSHA offers several resources for improving workplace safety & health programs.
These include:
Employers can assess the impact of injuries and illnesses on their bottom line with OSHA’s “$afety Pays” program. The tool uses a company’s profit margin, the average costs of an injury or illness, and an indirect cost multiplier to project the amount of sales a company would need to generate to cover those costs.
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program:
These inspections are confidential and separate from OSHA enforcement, and provided at no-cost to the employer. Consultants from state agencies work with businesses to identify and correct potential hazards, before they become significant problems.
Medical Surveillance Programs:
Medical surveillance programs like those provided by Worksite Medical provide an all-in-one approach to keeping employees healthy. A comprehensive program will include medical testing, PPE fitting, and other OSHA-compliant examinations.
Bringing It Together
Improving workplace safety and health is not only the right thing to do but also a smart business decision.
By identifying and mitigating workplace hazards, fostering a culture of safety, implementing a comprehensive safety management system, and continuously evaluating and improving safety performance, organizations can protect their employees, enhance their bottom line, and contribute to the overall well-being of their communities.
On-Site Medical Surveillance
In most cases, OSHA requires medical surveillance testing, and at no cost to employees.
Worksite Medical makes that program easier with mobile medical testing.
With Worksite Medical, you can get all the resources of a lab brought directly to your worksite. We’ll tailor a comprehensive medical surveillance program to your specific needs. Our services include physical testing, heavy metal labs, PPE fit testing, x-rays, audiometric exams, and much more. And, we safely maintain all of your team’s medical records, and provide you with quick access.
You’ll keep your employees at work, and stay ahead of OSHA inspections.
Protect your team and your workplace now with Worksite Medical. Not sure what you need? Try our medical testing wizard here.
Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below to schedule an on-site visit or to get your free quote.
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