When it comes to maintaining the health and safety of employees, the national nonprofit Home Safety Council encourages companies to look beyond the workplace.

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	Meri-K Appy

Research shows home-related injuries are costing businesses up to $38 billon per year due to absenteeism, loss of productivity, and increased healthcare costs*. Even with the enormous cost employers bear due to home-related injuries, a new survey from the Home Safety Council shows that nearly 80% of respondents said their companies do not provide off-the-job safety information and programs to help educate employees on how to stay safe at home.

The huge toll of unintentional home injuries may surprise U.S. employers. By arming the workforce with guidance and information to reduce preventable injuries at home, companies can protect their most valued resources: their employees.

The Cost of Injuries

Additional research shows the cost of injuries is much higher than families and businesses may expect. The newly released Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the 50 million injuries that required medical treatment in 2000 will ultimately cost the nation $406 billion. The total lifetime costs of injuries include estimates of $80.2 billion in medical care costs and $326 billion in productivity losses, which include lost wages and accompanying fringe benefits, as well as limited ability to perform normal household responsibilities.

For injuries specifically sustained in and around the home, businesses in America also bear a significant burden. According to the Home Safety Council’s State of Home Safety in America^™ report, home injuries can cost employers up to $104 million in a single day.

Putting Home Safety to Work

Throughout the year, the Home Safety Council offers tools and resources to help employers promote off-the-job safety and encourage their employees to take action and make their homes safer. An online suite of safety resources specifically for corporate use is available online at www.homesafetycouncil.org/humanresources.

Corporate off-the-job safety resources include: 

• copy-ready home safety articles available for corporate newsletters
  
  
• a step-by-step guide to planning and implementing an onsite safety fair 
  
  
• downloadable brochures and posters companies can use to promote safe home practices among their employees 
  
  
• home safety tips on topics ranging from fire safety and poison prevention to kitchen safety and home security 
  
  
• Spanish-language versions of select materials 
  
  
• home office safety tips, including shredder safety, home office security, and fire safety tips

To learn more about ways to promote off-the-job safety and help corporate employees stay safe in and around their homes, visit www.homesafetycouncil.org.

*State of Home Safety in America^™ report (2004)

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