FACE Releases 2011 Workplace Fatalities Report: Good News for Washington State
March 15, 2012 —
Washington State reported only 15 workplace deaths this year, a record low, a study released yesterday shows. The Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program (FACE), hosted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control, evaluates participating states to increase safety at the workplace. This year, California, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington filed with NIOSH to gain a better understanding of workplace safety and health.
As regulations are tightened and enforced, fewer workers in agricultural, forest, fishing, and manufacturing industries are injured or die on the job. Accidents are involving fewer and fewer workers, growing less catastrophic in nature.
However, diseases contracted through the workplace, as well as nonfatal occupational injury or disease, are as strong as over. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 3.9 million workers across sectors (from private to government) suffered illness or injury this year due to the workplace environment. 2.6 million of those were forced to go to the emergency room.
To continue increasing safety at work, OSHA and ANSI issue new regulations and recommendations, respectively. Entire industries spring up around workplace safety, all devoted to making you as safe as possible. SmartSign is glad to help, and wishes you another safe — and healthy — year at work.
– R. Fogel