OSHA Rates Rarely Portray Actual Company Health
Since inception of OSHA in 1970, there has been an increasing focus on reduced OSHA Recordable Rates. This is understandable since the rates influence insurance costs, ability to bid on new projects, and even annual bonuses.
While OSHA Recordable Rates have been trending downward, there has not been a similar correlation regarding Serious Injuries/Fatalities (SIFs). Perhaps you have noticed an recent up-tick in your workplace regarding safety-related issues that have the potential for serious injury? More troubling, during 2016, the number of fatalities actually increased by approximately 7% and the number of fatalities is at the highest since 2008. What are some of the solutions discussed amongst your peers to mitigate this troubling trend?
This is puzzling for many companies since they expect SIFs to reduce along with Recordable Rates. However, this simply isn’t the case, due to a series of contributing factors. Examples include: stressors negatively impacting safety culture tenets not being effectively addressed, lack of a robust investigation process, and senior management not being sufficiently quizzical regarding underlaying issues.
Today, there is a need for companies like Safety Culture Strategies offering tailored metrics that enable recognition of desired behaviors as well as being able to monitor conditions that could contribute to SIF conditions.
How can we connect to discuss safety culture solutions to reduce the potential for SIFs at your company in a proactive, and manageable, manner? Call SCS today! (702) 780-1410
Mike Kinney
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