According to the 2018 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, U.S. workplaces are getting safer. The survey found a 1.5% overall reduction in serious accidents. However, workplace injuries are getting more expensive for U.S. businesses.

According to Liberty Mutual, serious workplace injuries cost businesses more than $58 billion in 2018 — a nearly 3% increase from the 2017 findings. That means workplace injuries currently cost more than $1 billion each week.

With workplace injuries costing so much, you’ll want to make sure your business is doing everything it can to mitigate risk and keep employees — and your business — as safe as possible. Understanding risk is the first step to protecting your employees, so here are the top 10 causes of disabling injuries at U.S. workplaces, according to Liberty Mutual:

  1. Overexertion: Injuries from excessive lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying or throwing cost businesses $13.7 billion.
  2. Falls (same level): Falls on the same level, such as slipping on a wet floor, cost $11.2 billion.
  3. Falls (lower level): Falls to a lower level, such as from a ladder or platform, cost $5.9 billion.
  4. Struck by object or equipment: Getting hurt by an object falling from above cost businesses $5.3 billion.
  5. Other Exertion/Bodily reaction: Injuries from bending, crawling, climbing, reaching, twisting, kneeling or walking cost $4.2 billion.
  6. Roadway incidents involving vehicles: Incidents involving vehicles, such as an accident on the highway, cost $3.2 billion.
  7. Slips or trips without falling: Injuries resulting from tripping over an object or trying to avoid a fall cost businesses $2.3 billion.
  8. Caught in/Compressed by equipment: Getting caught or compressed by equipment, such as rollers or gears, cost $2.1 billion.
  9. Struck by object or equipment: Workers struck by objects, such as walking into a drawer or door, cost $2 billion.
  10. Repetitive motion. Repeating motions or micro-tasks on a manufacturing assembly line cost $1.5 billion.

What can we do to reduce these workplace injuries? Proper training and awareness is the first and most important step. In addition, keeping your work area clean and clutter-free is key, as is being aware of environmental factors that can cause injuries, such as improper placement of equipment or tools. Make sure ladders are in proper working order and all equipment is inspected and maintained regularly. Also, ensure that your employees wear proper safety gear when necessary.

KC Supply has all the safety gear you need to keep your employees safe. Visit kcsupply.com to learn more, or contact us today at 800.KC.SUPPLY.