Serious workplace injuries in the US cost $62B per year

February 11th, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

Creating a safe work environment is an ongoing battle for EHS professionals. Nothing in the business world exists in a vacuum and the many processes and tasks that make up the work day are constantly changing and shifting. A successful approach to managing the many potential health and safety issues means consistent audits and considerations of the workspace, interactions with front-line workers and support from the right EHS management software to enhance compliance efforts. Taking a proactive stance when it comes to health and safety helps individual organizations combat the billions of dollars in costs U.S. companies pay as a whole annually due to workplace injuries and illnesses.

Striking numbers
According to insurance company Liberty Mutual, the most serious but nonfatal workplace injuries - those that cause employees to miss six or more working days - cost employers in the U.S. a total of $62 billion in 2013, the last year for which complete information is available. That amount represents a significant cost even when broken down to the individual business level. It's worth highlighting the fact that more minor injuries - even ones that keep workers away from their jobs for as many as five days - and fatal incidents aren't included in the Liberty Mutual numbers. Including those accidents and illnesses as well would increase the total cost increase significantly.

EHS Today said the amount U.S. companies spend on these serious yet nonfatal injuries is greater than the combined gross domestic product of 91 countries. Digging deeper into the data, EHS Today pointed out the 10 most common causes of serious injury add up to approximately 83 percent of the $62 billion total. In order, the top five causes are Overexertion involving an outside source, falls on the same level, falls to a lower level, struck by object or equipment and other exertions or bodily reactions. The No. 1 injury, overexertion involving an outside source, is itself responsible for 24 percent of the total cost - about $15 billion per year.

A safe and healthy workplace offers obvious financial advantages as well as some significant and diverse benefits for all employees involved. Companies that take a proactive stance on workplace safety and use EHS software to aid in internal audits and external compliance efforts are in a strong position to reduce injuries, keep staff healthy and save the company money.