According to the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), American business spends $171 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnessexpenditures that can comprise as much as 5% of a companys total costs.
That is a large sum for the small business owner to absorb. Yet, without the resources to establish a safety management program (shown to reduce such costs by as much as 40%), the small business operator has few options.
One option which is available, has been introduced by OSHA, which now devotes a significant portion of its Web site to helping small businesses develop safety programs (www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness).
OSHA notes that managed safety helps add value to a company. The prevention of injuries and illnesses, OSHA says, decreases workers compensation and retraining costs, while increasing productivity, morale, and ultimately, profits.
OSHA reaches out to small business employers through extensive education and compliance assistance efforts, focusing on finding solutions, not just identifying problems. Their site offers a complete list of laws and regulations, along with a Compliance Assistance section consisting of eTools, information on grants, training programs, record keeping information, workplace posters and employee QuickCards, and a step-by-step QuickStart guide that allows owners to identify many of the major OSHA requirements and guidance materials that may apply to their workplace.
One of the most beneficial services OSHA offers is a free, confidential, on-site safety consultation during which employers can find out about potential hazards at their worksites. The consultation also provides suggested solutions and ways to improve the companys occupational safety and health management system, and allows the firm to qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. Primarily targeted at smaller businesses, the service is delivered by state governments, and no citations are issued or penalties imposed.
In turn, the direct benefits of this program, says OSHA, include cultivating informed and alert employees who take responsibility for their own and their coworkers safety and for worksite safety as a whole. For the employer, it means a healthier bottom line and being able to more easily comply with federal and state safety and health requirements.
No matter how you figure it, a well-functioning workplace safety and health management system makes good business sense. Safety and health add value, OSHA says, to your business; to your workplace; and to your life.
According to the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), American business spends $171 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnessexpenditures that can comprise as much as 5% of a companys total costs.