Analysis and exploration of Health and Safety in the workplace shows that businesses can help to address the challenges faced in tackling workplace health and safety. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals third target is to encourage well being for people of all ages and to ensure healthy lives. One thing standing in the way of this target being met to its fullest capacity of health and safety in the workplace.

This year, it has been calculated that US businesses lose around $1 billion each week to serious but non-fatal injuries that have occurred in the workplace. This figure was taken from the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index which was published this year. This statistic shows that businesses are losing money unnecessarily, when proper health and safety could prevent or lessen the severity of a wide range of workplace accidents.  

The importance of the role of businesses in workplace health and safety is being emphasised. The more work that businesses put into Health and Safety the fewer injuries illnesses and deaths occur amongst workers. Also to the introduction of more health and safety frameworks lead to healthier and more productive workers. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention published figures in 2015 which showed that US businesses lose $225.8 billion each year because of the productivity caused by absenteeism.

If a workplace is safe then it encourages employees to be healthier and more productive. This is good news for the companies as it will help them improve their profitability and bottom line. Tackling health and safety goes further than signage however, with the whole culture and mentality of the business requiring a change in order to effectively establish health and safety procedures. The best way to be successful when implementing health and safety procedures is to involve as many people as possible.