| It is estimated that over 40 million workers in the | | | | burden of expense on the consumer, and allows |
| United States had to receive emergency medical | | | | companies to ignore the root cause of their |
| treatment for workplace-related injuries in the | | | | workplace injuries. The focus here seems to be |
| year 2003. This is a staggering number when one | | | | on maintaining a healthy relationship with |
| considers the efforts most companies have put | | | | shareholders, and not necessarily on maintaining a |
| into maintaining a safe workplace. In modern | | | | healthy workforce. |
| times, a number of companies have been found | | | | It is interesting to note that there are record |
| liable for injuries sustained in their places of | | | | numbers of jobs, especially in the industrial sector, |
| business. There is a relationship that exists | | | | being sent overseas. There are a number of |
| between workplace safety and profitability. | | | | reasons to account for this. One of the most |
| Every company, especially those involved in | | | | significant reasons is that American companies are |
| industrial manufacturing, is constantly looking at | | | | able to shave their operating costs down to a |
| ways to continuously improve their products and | | | | fraction of their domestic costs, by capitalizing on |
| processes. They realize that their profits are | | | | cheaper labor in foreign markets. Foreign |
| directly related to the ways and means by which | | | | governments, eager for investment, are all too |
| they produce their products. Unfortunately, too | | | | willing to accommodate the interests of big |
| many companies get caught up in drive for higher | | | | western business. Far too often, this comes at |
| profits and tend to allow workplace safety to | | | | the expense of workplace safety. |
| become an afterthought. | | | | If companies want to be profitable in the long |
| The costs associated with operating a large | | | | term, they need to reexamine their approach to |
| manufacturing facility in America are astounding. | | | | workplace safety and the health of their workers. |
| Workplace injuries place a massive burden of | | | | Many companies are sending jobs overseas, in |
| expense and weakened productivity on a | | | | order to take advantage of cheap labor and |
| company. These injuries can be reduced with | | | | relaxed labor laws. American companies can be |
| proper planning and careful attention to detail. | | | | both profitable and safety conscious. Through |
| Most workplace injuries are preventable. There | | | | directed education campaigns and preemptive |
| are a number of factors to consider, but | | | | planning, workplace injuries can be reduced in a |
| maintaining a safe and tidy work area is one of | | | | significant way. Remember: a safe worker is a |
| the best ways to prevent injury. Workers, too, | | | | happy worker, and a happy worker is a |
| have a responsibility in keeping themselves safe | | | | productive worker. |
| from harm. | | | | Jim Staller is very passionate about workplace |
| Workplace injuries place a significant burden on | | | | safety. When he is not researching the latest |
| health care providers and insurance companies. As | | | | health and safety information, he writes for - an |
| companies continue to pay higher premiums for | | | | excellent online resource for information about |
| employee health care, one of the only means | | | | Safety Supplies, Industrial Electronics, Equipment |
| available for cost recovery is to increase the | | | | and more. |
| prices of the goods they produce. This places the | | | | |