Safety Budget

It's been estimated that employers pay almost $1 billion per week in direct costs related to worker's compensation. Even more astounding, according to the National Safety Council, the indirect costs reach nearly $4 billion per week. Despite those staggering numbers, when things get tight, the Safety Budget is often the first to get cut. However, cutting back comes at a high price. Injured workers are costly to replace, and additional injuries can raise your cost of workers' compensation

Planning for safety should be as important as planning for staffing, utilities, and preventative maintenance programs. Safety training, personal protective equipment, safety signs, machine guarding, or general safety maintenance are all areas that should be considered and included when developing a budget to manage your company's day-to-day operations.

There are several ways to improve your safety program and do more with less. First, track incident data and observe current safety practices throughout your facility or job site. You can use this information to track and monitor performance, as well as assist you in planning for the coming year.

Next, listen to your employees. They can be one of your best sources of information. They deal with issues every day and have the best understanding of the problems. You may want to consider conducting a survey to get their feedback. You can ask questions such as:

• Have you had any safety-related incidents in the past year? If yes, please explain.
• Do you have any safety-related concerns regarding your job and/or work area? If yes, please explain.
• Do you have any ideas or recommendations for improving safety in your work area? If yes, what would you improve, and how?
• Do you have all the necessary personal protective equipment to protect yourself while working? If no, explain.

The final step is to think and plan ahead. It's important to continue to improve your operations and promote safety in every aspect of your business. A safe operation will result in a higher quality of service and a better place for your employees to work. As you're planning your budget, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I have a written safety program?
• Do I have written policies/procedures as required per 29 CFR Part 1910 General Industry or 29 CFR Part 1926 Construction?
• Do I have personal protective equipment required for the tasks performed?
• Do I have the appropriate equipment for the job (lockout/tagout equipment, ladders, scaffolding, containment carts, etc.)?
• Do I have the necessary signs for posting?
• Are we providing training as required per the standards?
• How do we recognize safe work behaviors and safe departments?

With the proper planning, you'll be able to provide a safe work environment for your employees, and save money while doing it. Look to the complete line of NS® Brand products to meet all of your safety and industrial needs. They provide high quality at superior values.

Sources: http://ezinearticles.com/?Direct-Versus-Indirect-Costs-of-Workplace-Injuries&id=2509218, http://safetydailyadvisor.blr.com/archive/2009/04/27/you_safety_professional_economy_creative_training.aspx, Safety Management Group, http://www.ohsonline.com/Articles/2008/06/Budgeting-for-the-Safety--Miser.aspx

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