Skipping OSHA safety training could spell death for employees

Jan. 26, 2009 - PRLog -- Cutbacks in employee safety training could spell disaster for employees and for companies as injuries and expenses rise. G.Neil is stepping up to the plate with new products that make safety training and OSHA compliance easier and more affordable. And the need has never been more critical.

A disturbing trend has emerged in the wake of on-going economic challenges in manufacturing and other U.S. industries. According to industry and legal insiders, many companies are postponing, cutting back or even eliminating critical safety training for new and existing employees. The result could be a flood of new injuries or even fatalities, with the additional fiscal burden of OSHA fines, Workman's Comp claims and wrongful injury lawsuits.

Work-related fatalities, which hovered just under 6,000 in 2007, could rise dramatically as a result of this trend, say industry experts. If the trend continues, work-related injuries are expected to sky-rocket, adding additional burdens to already cash-strapped companies.

And as if the cutbacks in training weren’t enough of a safety problem, companies eager to reduce labor costs are adding to the risk by replacing experienced but better paid veteran employees with less experienced, younger workers who lack on-the-job expertise. This short-term trade-off could prove far more costly than businesses could imagine.

According to Department of Labor statistics, younger workers, even those who receive all minimally required training, already account for a disproportionate percentage of work-related accidents. Skimping on training could push those figures even higher as trial-and-error replaces training.

The financial risk of this one-two punch can be staggering.

According to OSHA figures, the average Workman’s Comp claim now exceeds $46,000. OSHA fines, as well as state and local fines and penalties, could also boost that figure significantly. Time off work for treatment and recovery could cripple production schedules. Injuries to younger employees who fall under Child Labor Law protection could add tens of thousands to the final tally.

Wrongful injury or wrongful death lawsuits, even if successfully defended, can easily add thousands to the bottom line. And if the employee prevails, the final judgment in a single suit could run into the millions, especially if the court concludes that your company was negligent in not providing safety training.

The financial fall-out from even one serious injury or fatality could shut the doors on your business forever.  

In response to this trend, G.Neil, the industry leader in HR and labor law compliance products and services, is promoting a variety of products that help businesses manage mandatory OSHA training without breaking the budget or risking employee safety. Their new downloadable e-guide entitled How to Establish a Safety Program will help businesses establish and maintain a safety program that protects employees and meets OSHA guidelines.

A variety of other products from forklift training videos to safety posters will allow your company to implement an effective, yet affordable OSHA-compliant safety program. And their user-friendly selection of safety training and reporting software allows businesses to document safety programs, which could mean the difference between settling a case successfully and incurring thousands in fines and penalties.

http://www.gneil.com/products/safety-program-e-guide

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