Many more work days lost to off-the-job accidents than on-the-job

With all the attention to complying with OSHA regulations, it’s easy for employers to lose sight of a very significant statistic – six times as many work days are lost due to off-the-job injuries as on-the-job injuries.

What’s more, less than 4 percent of accidental deaths occur at the workplace. And while workplace deaths and deaths from vehicle accidents are on the decline, accidental deaths in the home or in public places are on the rise.

The statistics on days lost make a compelling case as to why employers should address this issue. Consider the financial consequences when a valued employee is off the job for three days, three weeks or three months because he or she didn’t buckle their seatbelt or fell off a ladder that was improperly placed.

For suggestions on how employers can begin to take action, read my article in the August 2011 issue of MFRTech, which is reprinted on this website.