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