Let’s Move the Needle on Safety

Now more than ever, data drives business decisions. When we see a gap in a critical area, we invest resources to turn things around and achieve success. It’s time we apply that same mindset to occupational safety and health.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will soon release its annual reports on nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses (in November) and fatal occupational injuries (in December). Year after year, these reports show a troubling reality: We’re still not doing enough to protect our nation’s workforce.

Whether this year’s data shows a slight increase, decrease or no change at all, it won’t change the fact that injuries and fatalities on the job are preventable. There are no good reasons for a worker not to return home safe and healthy to their loved ones at the end of the day.

All employers nationwide must take a harder look at their approach to worker safety and health. It’s time we significantly reduce the incident rates reported by the BLS every year. Workers are being harmed far too often in every industry, even though today’s technologies and proven safety and health strategies can prevent most incidents.

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), which represents 35,000 occupational safety and health professionals worldwide, advises employers to implement safety and health management systems and adopt evidence-based strategies to better protect worker well-being. Both can help companies shift from compliance-based approaches to risk-based programs that not only prevent injuries and illnesses but also improve organizational culture.

Safety and health management systems set an operational foundation that integrates critical processes to help improve safety performance. These systems help companies continuously identify and eliminate safety and health risks, reducing the potential of a worker getting injured or becoming ill. The ANSI/ASSP Z10 standard is a blueprint for any company to develop and administer an effective safety and health management system.

I encourage business leaders to check out a free resource to get started. The ASSP Z10 Guidance Manual is a quick-start guide for implementing the safety standard in small- to medium-size organizations. It outlines the basics of safety and health management systems, contains in-depth discussions of new and innovative approaches, and provides the tools and information to help your business succeed.

Useful forms and checklists are included to assist with assessing current programs and guiding your organization toward better outcomes. You will also find detailed examples of how the standard can be applied.

Dedicating time and resources to improving occupational safety and health generates widespread benefits. Not only do workers return home safe, but quality and productivity flourish. That helps organizations achieve sustainable growth, meet social responsibilities and be viewed as employers of choice.

The upcoming BLS data reports should be our call to action. Let’s come together and take the steps necessary to truly move the needle on workplace safety.