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According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2005 there were over 4 million OSHA recordable nonfatal injuries or illnesses in the private industry. Of these 4 million cases:
- 1,200,000 + lost time from work
- 500,000 + involved sprain/strain/tear injuries
- 270,000 + involved injuries to the back
- 255,000 + were injuries resulting from falls
There were almost 6,000 work related fatalities in 2005. Of the 6,000, 732 employees died due to falls.
OSHA was created in 1971 to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths. Since the agency was created, occupational deaths have been reduced by 62% and injuries have declined by 42%. OSHA requires employers to comply with Safety and Health Standards issued by OSHA. In addition, the Act includes a "general duty clause," which requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Although OSHA has helped to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities, these statistics could be even more reduced simply by educating employers and employees how to identify hazards in the workplace, and the importance in abating these hazards. Not only will will you be providing a much safer work environment for your employees, but you can also greatly reduce other expenses such as workers compensation costs, possible OSHA fines, employee downtime and loss of production. Something as simple as a hardhat or machine guard can make a difference in whether an accident results in an injury, a fatality or even prevented. |
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| OSHA Penalties & Associated Fines |
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