Every once and awhile you get a statement from OSHA on the state of Occupational injuries. Recently OSHA made a statement on Occupational Fatalities that occurred in 2018. The statement provided some insight into a few trends for occupational fatalities OSHA identified in 2018.
1. The good news. As I and many others, including OSHA, have been commenting on for years, falls are still one of the most cited hazards and cause a great number of injuries. However, in 2018, falls decreased 14% down to the lowest level since 2013. Fall training and fall protection has been on the minds of safety programs nationwide, at least for 2018. The trend needs to continue for 2019 so keep a sharp focus on fall protection and training.
2. The bad news. Suicide and unintended overdoses both in creased by double digit percentages 11% and 12% respectively. If you have not already, it is time to start focusing on these addiction and mental health issues. Many employers already provide information related to recognizing, understanding and helping addiction and mental health problems. The beginning of a new year is always a good time to revisit these issues and set goals for 2020.
I wish everyone a Happy New Year and a Safe 2020.
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