Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
If you are an employer with ten or more employees, you are probably aware that OSHA requires you to conduct fire safety training and first aid training for your employees. But what is the value of this safety training? Does it really make a difference, or is it just a technicality?
The fact is, different ki
nds of occupational injuries and accidents, including fire safety ones, cost companies thousands and even millions of dollars a year. These include the direct costs of property damage and employee injury as well as the indirect costs of production down time and the intangible profitability loss from the lingering emotional effect on the morale of the employees. If you’ve ever wondered what that dollar amount would be for an injury at your jobsite, OSHA developed a calculator tool that you can use to see the cost of an injury at your business. As an employer, you are liable for the injuries or accidents that happen in your workplace, so making sure your employees are properly trained can save you money.
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has gathered extensive data on the effectiveness of quality safety training programs, and the results are promising. Some of their findings include:
- OSHA estimates that companies that implement effective safety programs can expect reductions of 20% or greater in injury and illness rates, as well as a return of $4 to $6 for every $1 invested in the programs.
- Workplace injuries will cost society $128 billion in losses this year, which equals one-quarter of each dollar of pre-tax corporate profits
- Indirect costs of injuries may be 20 times the direct costs — Indirect costs include: training and compensating replacement workers; repairing damaged property; accident investigation and implementation of corrective action; scheduling delays and lost productivity; administrative expense; low employee morale and increased absenteeism; poor customer and community relations
- Conducting effective safety training has been proven to lower your Workplace Modification Factor, which insurance companies use to assess businesses and determine their rates.
All in all, studies have proven that safety training programs can save your business money and grief. More ASSE reports on the returns on safety training investment can be found here.
The best safety training programs will be tailored to the type of injuries or accidents your employees are most likely to encounter. This is especially true in the realm of fire safety training, where different companies will need to know different things about the fires they are most likely at risk for in their working environment. As a result, all fire safety and first aid training programs are not alike. Choose the best fire safety training program or first aid training program for your company.
For more information on the specific needs of your business and how to achieve OSHA standards at a practical price, contact your local OSHA consultation office. Offering the right fire safety training and first aid training courses that prevent injuries will empower your employees to handle emergency situations well and prevent potentially fatal injuries. Don’t fail them! Look into Total Fire & Safety training today! For more information, contact Total Fire & Safety at 630-960-5060.
