The Real Value of Making Your Workplace Safe What costs go into a safe work environment, and how important is it, really?

Q: What costs go into a safe work environment, and how important is it, really?

A: Of course it's important, and it's never a place to cut corners, no matter how easy you think that might be. I believe we have a moral obligation to send our employees home as healthy as they were when they arrived. But beyond that, you will enjoy significant cost savings in the long run by playing it safe. Here, I've spelled out some of the biggest reasons why you should invest in a safer workplace.

You'll reduce costs from injuries. Employee injuries cost more than you'd believe. For example, an amputation might easily cost $60,000 in direct medical costs and an additional $60,000 in indirect costs. To recover the total cost of $120,000, a business with a 3 percent bottom-line profit would have to immediately generate an additional $4 million in sales to cover the cost of the accident.