You’re Safer at Work, Really

You’re Safer at Work, Really

Workplace fatalities garner a lot of media attention, but you’re much more likely to die after you leave the company gate. It’s no contest: Nine out of 10 fatalities happen either at home or in the community, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). And two-thirds of disabling injuries occur off the job.

NSC says 62,100 fatalities occurred in the home and community across the US in 2004. One in 17 people experiences an unintentional injury every year and a fatal injury occurs in one home every 14 minutes and in the community every 21 minutes.

Here are the top five ways people die from injuries:

• Falls

• Poisoning

• Choking

• Drowning

• Fires, flames or smoke

Your company may have a stellar workplace safety program, but if you aren’t getting workers to think about their safety off the job, your job is far from covered.

Article contributed by Ron Durant, USAF and Atlanta Federal Safety and Health Council