Safety Management
Facts to Know
- In 2001, there were 5,300 work-related unintentional-injury deaths in the U.S. The total cost of these deaths was $132.1 billion.
- 3.9 million Americans suffered disabling injuries on the job in 2001; 6.8 million American workers suffered disabling injuries off the job in 2001.
- Each work-related disabling injury can cost $29,000. Included in this cost are lost wages,
The NSC recommends these steps:
- Foster an attitude of safety awareness; make it part of your company's culture, and get management on board.
- Designate a safety team leader who is committed to staying up to date on current safety issues. Form a safety team and report on its meetings to all employees. People will work harder to implement new ideas if they are given responsibility to develop those ideas themselves.
- Develop a systematic approach to accident investigation. Check out the NSC book Accident Investigation, 2nd Edition, for sample forms and case studies.
- Establish an effective emergency response and evacuation plan; keep it updated and practice it regularly. The NSC's On-Site Emergency Response Planning Guide provides plan templates you can customize for any business, and helps you incorporate OSHA regulations into your emergency plans.
- Create a schedule of monthly or weekly safety briefings. The NSC's Today's Supervisor is a monthly newsletter that can serve as the basis of a quick safety session.
- Focus on safety training and continuing education. Select courses that are appropriate to your business and make it a priority to provide them to your workers. Consider offering Defensive Driving and First Aid courses to any interested employees.
- Urge workers to take advantage of employee assistance programs when necessary. They'll find it hard to concentrate on safety if they're struggling with personal problems.
- Address off-the-job safety and health issues by promoting your company's wellness programs, or consider subsidizing health club fees. Provide a magazine like Family Safety & Health, which offers safety and wellness tips and articles for families.
The mission of the National Safety
Council is to educate and influence
society to adopt safety, health and environmental policies, practices and
procedures that prevent and mitigate human suffering and economic
losses arising from preventable
causes. Founded in Baltimore in 1923, the Safety
Council of Maryland, Inc. is a chapter of the National Safety Council.
It is a non-profit and
non-governmental public service organization, which
devotes its total resources to the prevention of all types of accidents
and the promotion of safety and
health.
Safety Council of Maryland
17 Governors Court
Baltimore, MD 21244
410-298-4770
toll free: 1-800-875-4770
fax: 410-281-1350
safety@safemd.org
Your help in improving safety at the
University is appreciated!
Safety Alert # 0624
Safety Alert Archive