August 2015 newsletter

• Stats show importance of employee safety on- and off-the-job
• FDRsafety named one of the top 3 safety consulting firms in the U.S.
• FDRsafety names three regional business managers

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Stats show importance of employee safety on- and off-the-job

By Fred Rine
CEO, FDRsafety

By Fred Rine
The latest edition of the annual Injury Facts book published by the National Safety Council is out, and while company CEOs and safety directors might not take the time to read all 210 pages, there is one set of statistics worth special attention.

These statistics shine light on how companies can implement a safety strategy that is a win for all involved – workers avoid injury, their families avoid the accompanying pain and suffering, and the company meets its goals.
The report shows that from 2004 to 2013, accidental workplace deaths dropped by 25 percent. While that progress is encouraging, of course any death is one death too many.

On the other hand, during that same period, accidental deaths in the home increased 58 percent and accidental deaths in public places, such as recreational areas, were up 25 percent.

Employers may erroneously assume that the workplace statistic is the only one relevant to them, but the fact is that no matter where accidents occur, the consequences are in many ways the same.

For the employees’ families, as well as for fellow workers and the company as a whole, there is the pain of having a loved one or colleague die or be hurt.

And for companies there are other kinds of costs as well, no matter where an accident occurs. The fact is that employers spend billions of dollars each year as a result of off-the-job accidents besides what is spent on those that occur at work. These costs include health insurance claims, disability claims, lost productivity, overtime and the cost of hiring new employees.

To further illustrate the impact of accidental off-the-job injuries consider this: Only 3 percent of accidental deaths in the United States occur in the workplace. About half occur in the home.

If companies reduce off-the-job accidents among employees even modestly, the overall well-being of their workforces and reductions in related costs will follow.

So what is a company to do? One approach that proves effective is to provide off-the-job Safety Awareness training for employees. Safety Awareness training is not skills based, rather it motivates workers to use the safety knowledge they already possess through creating a heightened awareness of how safety decisions made off-the-job can directly impact the well-being of their family. Just think of how many of us take safety shortcuts when doing chores around the house or yard, just to save time or for the sake of convenience.

Helping people stay safe both on the job and off is a passion for us at FDRsafety. We would be happy to share our thoughts with you about this important issue. Contact us at info@fdrsafety.com or 1-888-755-8010.

Fred Rine is founder and CEO of FDRsafety. He is a former managing director of safety at FedEx and a former vice president of the National Safety Council.

FDRsafety named one of the top 3 safety consulting firms in the U.S.

Business Insurance magazine has named FDRsafety as one of the top three firms in the country exclusively focused on safety consulting.

“We are very proud to receive this recognition,” said Fred Rine, founder and CEO of FDRsafety. “This ranking is evidence of our growth, driven by recognition of our industry-leading expertise.”

The magazine compiled its rankings based on 2014 revenues.

FDRsafety names three regional business managers

FDRsafety is growing as more companies discover the value of our expertise, and to better serve our clients, we are opening regional offices around the country. We are pleased to announce the appointments of three regional business managers. Each will be responsible for all aspects of our full-service consulting firm in their regions, including on-site safety professionals, safety training, expert witness, safety program management, OSHA compliance and all other services we offer.

Fred Wilton
Fred is Western Regional Business Manager for FDRsafety, based in Southern California. Fred is a safety professional with 20 years of experience in both construction and general industry and has consulted for some of the largest companies in the U.S. Contact Fred at fwilton@fdrsafety.com or 1-888-755-8010.

Ross Smith
Ross is Midwest Regional Business Manager for FDRsafety, based in Kansas City, MO. Ross, who is an experienced Industrial hygienist, was previously divisional manager for Eagle Picher Technologies, LLC inJoplin, Mo. Contact Ross at rsmith@fdrsafety.com or 1-888-755-8010.

Jake Snyder
Jake is Southern Regional Business Manager for FDRsafety, based in Atlanta. He was previously a safety manager for Clark Construction Group, LLC. He also served as a safety manager for P. Flanigan and Sons, Inc. Contact Jake at jsnyder@fdrsafety.com or 1-888-755-8010.

Fred, Ross and Jake join Jamie Kaiser, whose appointment as Mid-Atlantic Regional Business Manager was announced earlier this year.