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Both employers and employees should be aware of how vital education is when it comes to Iowa worker safety. No employee wants to be injured on the job. No employer wants to have employees hurt. In many cases, workplace injuries result in missed time, lost wages, lawsuits, and medical bills. Even though both employers and employees may want to prevent accidents, injuries sustained at work certainly aren’t rare. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics maintains that the U.S. Occupational and Heath Administration, also know as OSHA, is involved in millions of injury investigations around the country each year. The last full year for which statistics are available is 2005. In that year, a total of 4,214,200 accidents in the workplace occurred. Due to these accidents, workers lost a total of 1, 234,700 work days. Sadly, 5,702 employees died as a result of workplace accidents that year.

These numbers don’t tell the whole story since they only include accident information from the private sector. Figures for employees of non-profits organizations along with government employees, such as firefighters, police, and paramedics are not included.

Some of the injuries encountered include strains, sprains and tears, which affected 503,530 workers. Also workers experienced 270,890 back injuries, and 255,750 employees fell at their workplace.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, tracks the Iowa worker safety figures, as well as those from around the nation. Although many people may not realize it, fatalities due to trips, falls, and slips in the workplace can result in death. Sadly, 732 people died in 2005 after experiencing a fall at their job. Only driving accidents involving employees resulted in more fatalities, with the total for 2005 being 1,258.

Iowa worker safety posters can help prevent accidents. One way employers can help reduce and prevent accidents is through employee education. To help with this effort, OSHA produces a Workplace Safety Pack that includes information on preventing injuries in the workplace. Employers will find the following items in the Workplace Safety Pack:

Slips, Trips, and Falls Poster
Workstation Safety Tips Poster
The Workplace Ergonomics 
Lifting Safely Poster

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