The Cost of Workplace Injuries | NationalSafetyGear

When you work in construction, emergency response, or with heavy machines, you know injuries and accidents happen. Even if you make safety a priority for your employees, something will always fall through the cracks. That’s life.

But, if you find your team is cutting corners, becoming lackadaisical in terms of safety apparel or just being lazy, it might be the perfect time to reiterate the costs of workplace injuries and accidents.

In fact, statistics have shown that workplace illnesses and injuries are more expensive than you might even realize. In addition to social costs, workplace injuries, illnesses, and accidents have a major impact on your company’s bottom line.

Workplace Injuries by the Numbers

Below are just a few statistics from InjuryFacts.org on workplace injuries:

• It has been estimated that in 2017, the cost of workplace injuries totaled $161.5 billion.
• Injuries attributed to almost $34.3 billion in medical costs.
• The cost per worker for injuries amounted to $1,100.

Direct costs of workplace injuries include workers’ compensation costs, which statistics have shown are estimated to account for almost $1 billion a week for employers, medical costs and costs for legal services. Indirect costs of workplace accidents include training replacement employees, accident investigation reports, corrective measures, and lost productivity.

So, how can you help prevent workplace injuries in your company?

Preventing Workplace Injuries

Accidents are unavoidable, that’s why they are called accidents. But, there are measures you can and should take with your team to prevent injuries from happening.

Just some of the best and most practical ways to avoid accidents include:

• Ongoing training and education
• Investing in high-quality safety apparel
• Don’t encourage short cuts
• Have adequate staffing levels at all times
• Conduct pre-placement physicals
• Create a safety and wellness plan of action
• Maintain a clean workplace

Being prepared is the best way to keep your team safe on-the-job. Don’t get lazy and don’t let safety take a backseat to getting the job done on time. Even just simple adjustments can make a huge difference. If you notice your team’s uniforms are getting a little worse for the wear, invest in new high-visibility safety shirts with fluorescent colors and reflective stripes. Just this simple switch can show your employees you take safety seriously and that you are concerned about them staying healthy day in and day out.

Shop NationalSafetyGear for a full selection of safety shirts, vests, and apparel for every application.