Work-Injury Prevention in Georgia – Efforts Pay Big Dividends
There’s an average of 50 workers in the U.S. who are injured every minute during the 40-hour workweek. And more than 15 employees a day are killed on the job.
The United States Department of Labor, (DOL) through the Occupations Safety & Health Administration, is charged with devising and enforcing federal work-safety regulations, as well as monitoring state programs charged with the same.The Voluntary Protection Program is one such program that continues to pay big dividends. Currently, there are over 500 work places in close to 200 industries that are able to save more than $100 million every year because they’re able to keep their employee injury rates 50 percent below the national average for their specific industry.
Our Atlanta workers’ compensation attorneys understand that employers have a legal responsibility to make sure that work areas are safe and that employees have the equipment and training necessary to safely do their jobs. There should be systems in place to make sure that work hazards are identified immediately and are corrected as soon as possible. There are close to 50 million employees in the U.S. who should be covered under and OSHA health and safety program standards but who have absolutely no protection.
Investing in work safety should not be viewed as an expense. In fact, there is every indication that a thriving work-safety program pays big dividends to companies making such investments. According to the latest studies, for every dollar that an employer invests into a safety program, they’ll typically get a $4 to $6 return.
Some of the most common kinds of work accidents are the result of overexertion or repetitive motion. These kinds of injuries and illnesses account for about a third of all work accidents. Not only are these kinds of injuries disabling, but they’re expensive, too! These injuries cost up to $20 million in direct costs annually and billions more in indirect costs.
OSHA has 3,000 state and federal programs to aid more than 100 million workers and their employers. Unfortunately, there is only one inspector for every 2,500 work sites and for every 40,000 workers. That’s how companies continue to skirt the law — because OSHA officials can’t be at your job every day to make sure you are not at undue risk for illness or injury.
The current rate for inspections from OSHA is 90,000 every year. That may sound like a lot, but when you break it down, it means that each work site in the country would only get inspected once every 66 years.
Employers are required to make sure that they are taking the proper safety measures to eliminate work hazards for employees. Accidents and injuries are costly for employers. Be smart and do what it takes to eliminate risks.
If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, contact J. Franklin Burns, P.C., to speak with an experienced attorney. For a free consultation call 1-404-920-4708 today.
