Workers Comp NC Management Has More Influence on Number of Workplace Injuries Study Says
Workers can often be blamed for their injuries on the job. Employers may assume that they have been careless or haven’t followed safety protocols. Yet, according to a new study by the University of Georgia, it turns out that upper-level management may have much more influence on workplace safety and the rate of workplace accidents.
The study – published this month in the Journal of Safety Research – found that when management fostered the perception of a positive safety climate among employees, the number of workplace injuries went down 32 percent. Day-to-day practices were more influential than written safety protocols. See: North Carolina Workers Comp Attorney
When employees felt that a company ran smoothly and that there were minimal constraints on their performance, the injury rate dropped as much as 38 percent, the study found.
“Injury is a failure of management,” said study co-author Dave DeJoy, a professor of health promotion and behavior at UGA. “Organizations who blame individuals for injuries do not create a positive safety climate.”