How much does a jobsite injury really cost?

I recently can across a very interesting tool to help you to realize how much does a jobsite injury cost you.  Employers can use the” $afety Pays” to assess the impact of occupational injuries and illnesses on their profitability. This program uses a company’s profit margin, the average costs of an injury or illness, and an indirect cost multiplier to project the amount of sales a company would need to generate to cover those costs. The program is intended as a tool to raise awareness of how occupational injuries and illnesses can impact a company’s profitability, not to provide a detailed analysis of a particular company’s occupational injury and illness costs. Your local OSHA On-site Consultation Office can help small businesses identify workplace hazards and develop and implement an effective injury and illness prevention program.  This tool is part of the OSHA Small Business program that provides links to numerous OSHA resources and information designed specifically for small business employers, including safety and health tools and publications, easy-to-follow guides for specific OSHA standards, and descriptions of benefits that small businesses receive from OSHA. The page also includes information on the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), which recognizes small business employers who operate exemplary injury and illness prevention programs.

Ladder Safety

Is your ladder safety training up to date?

This free ladder safety training is a tool for the proper selection, care and safe use of all ladders, including stepladders, single and extension ladders, articulated ladders, and mobile ladders. Provided by the American Ladder Institute, this ladder safety training outlines safe ladder practices in all applications, such as construction/painting, building and custodial services, warehousing, power, manufacturing, chemical and petrochemical, oil and gas, and at home.  Please visit our web site for more info.

Infrastructure: America Needs An Update

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, America’s infrastructure is in need of some serious help. The overall GPA assigned to America’s roads was a dismal D+. The low grades are attributed to America’s crumbling infrastructure and aging roads.

In the 2013 Infrastructure Report Card released by the American Society of Civil Engineers, America’s roads, dams, bridges and drinking water all received low marks. A committee of approximately 30 reputable civil engineers was assembled for the number crunching, scoring project. The average bridge in the U.S. is at least 42-years-old. Engineers consider aging bridges structurally deficient and at risk for collapse. Although the 2013 GPA showed minor improvement from the 2009 D grade, the report shows that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Continue reading