#United States #Washington #safety technology #National Safety Council #Work to Zero

National Safety Council's Initiative to Enhance Workplace Safety

The National Safety Council (NSC) is stepping up its efforts to improve workplace safety through innovative technology initiatives. As safety technologies gain traction in preventing serious workplace incidents and fatalities, employers often grapple with a critical question: How do you quantify the return on investments in these technologies? In response to this pressing need, the NSC has broadened its offerings of free Employer Investment Calculators, providing essential tools for businesses to estimate the financial implications and potential returns associated with safety technologies, all driven by their specific operational data.

The updated suite of calculators has expanded from eight to thirteen technologies, thanks to the Work to Zero program developed in partnership with the McElhattan Foundation. These technologies include EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) software, heat stress monitoring systems, and ergonomics video analytics. Approximately 8,500 users take advantage of these calculators every year to measure the viability of their safety investments.

The urgency of making informed investment decisions becomes stark when we consider the realities of workplace incidents. Despite significant advancements in reducing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury rates over the last quarter-century, the rate of workplace fatalities remains alarmingly high. More than 4,500 workers lost their lives on the job in 2023 alone. The broader implications of these injuries are just as daunting; for instance, the average cost associated with a medically consulted injury is estimated at $43,000, while a workplace fatality can cost around $1.46 million. Such figures underscore why it is crucial for employers to have robust tools to justify investments in safety technologies that can prevent these tragic outcomes.

Dr. Matt Law, the director of Work to Zero at NSC, emphasizes the challenge many employers face: “Too often, employers know a safety technology could save lives but struggle to demonstrate its business value.” The newly expanded investment calculators aim to bridge this gap by enabling organizations to quantify the financial impact of preventing severe incidents and fatalities. By simplifying the process of constructing a compelling business case, the NSC hopes to spur the adoption of technologies that can significantly enhance worker safety.

Utilizing these calculators, employers can compare the costs associated with different technologies against potential savings, experiment with various scenarios, and gauge a five-year return on investment. The newly broadened suite of calculators reflects the diverse solutions employers are increasingly embracing to mitigate workplace risks.

Alongside the calculators, the NSC has released a report titled Making the Business Case for Safety Innovation. This comprehensive resource lays out a structured five-step framework that aids organizations in evaluating safety technology investments. It covers key areas, starting with how to assess organizational readiness and pinpoint suitable solutions, moving through to calculating ROI and securing leadership support. Additionally, the report illustrates how these calculators can weigh the costs of sustaining current risk levels against the possible savings from reduced serious injuries and deaths.

Together, these tools empower safety leaders with a tangible route from recognizing workplace risks to evaluating technology solutions, articulating their value, and crafting a strong case for adoption.

The Work to Zero initiative reflects NSC's continuing commitment to eradicate workplace fatalities by promoting the advancement and implementation of technology-backed safety solutions. Those interested in exploiting these calculators and accessing other resources aimed at fostering safer workplaces can visit nsc.org/worktozero. For further discussions, you can also join the upcoming webinar titled Building the Business Case for Safety Technology.

About the National Safety Council

The National Safety Council has been a leading nonprofit advocate for safety in America for over 110 years. Focused primarily on eliminating preventable deaths and injuries, the NSC directs its efforts toward both workplace and road safety, fostering a culture of safety that extends beyond the workplace into the lives of individuals.

For further updates, connect with NSC on their social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.