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Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor issued a media release for Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses — 2014.
As one of the leading designers, developers and manufacturers of wirelessly connected worker safety monitoring products in the world, the safety of your employees is our number one priority.
Targeting a broad cross-section of industries where safety is a corporate priority, our mission is to keep you informed, educated and up-to-date on multiple aspects of occupational safety.
INJURIES & ILLNESSES
Today’s media release indicates that nearly 3 million workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2014.
"The rate reported for 2014 continues a pattern of declines that, with the exception of 2012, occurred annually for the last 12 years.”
While injuries and illnesses are on the decline, BLS reported workplace fatalities are on the rise.
FATALITIES
In September of this year, BLS also release information regarding statistics on workplace fatalities in 2014.
According to the media release “a preliminary total of 4,679 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2014, an increase of 2 percent over the revised count of 4,585 fatal work injuries in 2013.”
And, the 2014 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries findings include:
- Fatal work injuries in private goods-producing industries were up 9% from 2013 but lower in private service-providing industries.
- Fatal injuries in mining were up 7%, in agriculture up 14%, manufacturing up 9% and construction up 6% while fatal work injuries for government workers were down 12%.
- Falls, slips, and trips increased 10%.
These sobering statistics indicate that the safety of your employees needs to become or remain your top priority.
In addition to loss of life, many organizations are being penalized for failing to provide appropriate safety measure for their employees—specifically lone workers.
ACCOUNTABILITY, CITATIONS AND FINES
In the first few days of September alone, OSHA posted press releases about various industries being cited for workplace safety negligence.
- Chemical processing manufacturer cited for failing to protect workers from chemical exposures in Texas.
- Metal salvage recycler’s safety failures in the fatality of a maintenance manager in Wisconsin.
- Sawmill found exposing workers to unprotected machinery, combustible dust and other hazards in Mississippi.
Organizations are responsible when they fail to keep their employees safe on the job. And these are just a few examples of citations from across the United States.
Perhaps the most sobering statistic of late is the $6 million settlement in the workplace death of an employee at a food manufacturing facility in California.
STAY SAFE OUT THERE
Is your organization up-to-date on local and regional legislation? Is this information effectively communicated—specifically to your lone workers? And are your current safety investments compliant?
Please join us on Thursday November 12 at 9:00 am MST for our webinar “The Safety Landscape is Evolving: Are You Prepared?” Register today!