Workers Compensation Topics-10 Most Dangerous Jobs in America
I recently came across a Risk Management Monitor blog post that highlighted the 10 most dangerous jobs in America. While I wasn't surprised at a few of the jobs listed (fishermen, logging workers), several are the types of jobs that people I know do for a living--police officers, truck drivers, industrial machine operators. It's easy to see these types of lists and think they don't apply to you, but they become more meaningful and scary when you put names and faces on the occupations. While the number of fatal injuries has dropped significantly over the last several years, there's still work to be done. In addition to the emotional cost, there's also a real financial cost. According to OSHA's website, "Businesses spend $170 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses -- expenditures that come straight out of company profits. But workplaces that establish safety and health management systems can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent. In today's business environment, these costs can be the difference between operating in the black and running in the red."
A strong Workers Compensation Safety & Health Program, or Illness & Injury Prevention Program, is a good first step to limiting the financial and emotional costs. Any number of resources exist including your WC insurance carrier or insurance agent. Here's a link to sources on OSHA's website: http://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/safetyhealth/index.html