Why have a Workplace Safety Training Program?

Whether your company is a global conglomerate or a small start-up, the benefits of health and safety training in the workplace are numerous, providing benefits for the employer and most especially the employee – the person most at risk.

OSHA Outreach Training provides instruction and training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards. The OSHA Training Program also provides an overview of OSHA, regarding workers’ rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint.

Why does Worker Safety Training make sense?

Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping employees safe, healthy, and productive – along with meeting the OSHA workplace safety standards – health and safety training makes financial sense for employers because:

• Every dollar spent on proper health and safety programs can save a business $4 to $6! ^[1]
• With less work-related illnesses and injuries, employers see significant savings on absenteeism and workers’ compensation insurance. ^[2]
• According to one study by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), businesses inspected by OSHA “saved an estimated $355,000 in injury claims and compensation paid for lost work” in the four years after inspections. ^[3]
• Businesses that meet OSHA’s standards avoid inspection violations and possible fines.

Employer Reasons for a Workplace Health and Safety Program

Here are a few reasons why you should give strong consideration to a health and safety training program:

• All Workplaces Have an Element of Risk – From manually handling packages to driving heavy machinery, there are different levels of exposure to risk and illness.
• Increases Staff Productivity – Employees in many ways are like customers, treat them well and they stay, treat them well and they feel valued and treat your customers well in turn.
• Reduces Frequency of Compensation Claim or Lawsuit – It only takes one serious injury to bring a worker’s compensation claim or lawsuit. Safety training can diminish the frequency.
  
• Enhances Company Image Positively – Workers want to know what they stand to gain from a company in regards their benefits and salaries, but they also want to know your plan for their health and safety.
• Reduces Costs – Apart from the cost that will be accrued by litigation costs, fines and compensation payments, actual injuries and incidents can rack up direct costs in, medical expenses such as ambulance, hospital, and doctors’ fees, medication, and rehabilitation. There could even be increases in insurance premiums as a result. Likewise, indirect costs could include disrupted work schedules, lost productivity, clean-up and repair, hiring and training replacement workers, bad publicity, time spent on accident investigation and claims management.

As an employer, don’t think health and safety training is expensive and wasteful. Health and safety training educates your workers to work safely and motivates them to be more productive… which is a profit in itself.

 

[1] https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3163/osha3163.html
[2] https://www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-addvalue.html
[3] https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/products/topics/businesscase/