Although the number of workplace injuries reportedly occurring in the U.S. each seems to be steadily decreasing, the incidence of workplace fatalities doesn’t seem to be declining at a similar rate, leading some safety professionals to question whether a new approach needs to be considered for protecting workers from deadly accidents and events.

Some safety professionals are questioning whether a new approach needs to be considered for injury prevention to order to effectively reduce workplace fatalities.

In fact, as Colin Duncan of BST recently stated at a National Safety Council (NSC) conference, “when we see a statistic that workplace fatalities are not going down at the rate that injuries are, we need to understand why… we need to accept that the things that lead to serious injuries and fatalities are not necessarily the same things we’ll see for non-serious injuries and fatalities.”

Proposed New Approach to Injury Prevention and Workplace Safety

As Duncan sees it, the root of the problem behind a relatively steady rate of workplace fatalities in the U.S. is the workplace culture and the way in which technology is used in the workplace. To shift the perspective and create real reductions in the incidence of workplace fatalities, Duncan has proposed a new approach to workplace safety and injury prevention.

According to this proposed approach, there would need to be:

• A new way of measuring the incidence of severe and deadly workplace injuries
• Ongoing safety education and reporting for the senior staff of companies
• Changes to the current safety management systems
• Changes to the way in which incidents are investigated and the results of these investigations are interpreted/used
• A new focus on the events that served as precursors to fatal workplace accidents
• A new focus on learning from the events that cause workplace fatalities.

As Duncan explained, “we need to create an environment where leaders consistently create culture that’s enthusiastic about reporting.”

Whether the NSC will incorporate this new proposed approach to workplace safety in its ongoing efforts to protect workers remains to be seen.

Colorado Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick

If you have sustained a workplace injury and are considering (or in the process of) filing a workers’ compensation claim, you cannot rely upon your employer or insurance companies to look out for your best interests. In fact, both your employer and insurance companies will be more focused on their own bottom lines instead of your current and future wellbeing. This can make the system adversarial for injured workers and potentially even put them in situations in which their legitimate workers’ compensation claims are undercut or even flat-out denied.

In such cases, it’s essential that injured workers contact the Colorado workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick. Our legal professionals are experienced at going up against corporate lawyers and insurance companies, and we have a proven track record of success when it comes to securing our Clients the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and financial losses.

Let’s Talk about Your Case – Contact Us

For a thorough evaluation of your case, along with expert advice on the best manner in which to move forward, call us at (303) 447-2644.