2012 Leader's Guide to Civilian Safety Now ONLINE!
June 27, 2012
U.S. ARMY MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON (June 27, 2012) - - The Leader's Safety Guide for 2012 is now available online. The material was written to assist leaders and supervisors in preventing Army civilian employee accidents and injuries.
Many of the techniques contained in this guide can, of course, also be used to prevent workplace accidents and injuries among military personnel. However, the administrative examples used in this guide, such as required forms and reporting procedures, apply to Army civilian employees.
Statistically, we know that as many as 85 percent of all accidents are caused by human error. Reducing accidents caused by human error involves providing adequate training, encouraging worker participation in accident prevention and safe performance and establishing and enforcing safe work practices. Much of this guide is devoted to methods which can be used to influence behavior. It is important for leaders to remember that other factors, such as unsafe facilities or improper procedures can also cause accidents.
Leaders are the key to preventing accidents. Leaders know the state of training, physical condition and morale of their subordinates, and are in a critical position to influence safe behavior and prevent accidents before they happen. This guide is intended to help leaders accomplish their mission and fulfill their accident prevention responsibility.
As a leader, you are responsible not only for your own actions, but for the actions of workers whose activities you have authority to inspect, correct, and direct. No one is in a better position to recognize hazards and take effective action before those hazards become accidental injuries and losses that drain resources. This guide will help you do that.
Safety and Health Adds Value
Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace saves money and protects our most valuable asset -- our people. Recent estimates place the direct costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses for the Army at close to $2 billion over the last 10 years. These costs are paid from the Army's budget.
When workers stay whole and healthy, the direct cost-savings to our organizations include:
• Lower workers' compensation chargeback costs
• Reduced medical expenditures
• Smaller expenditures for Continuation of Pay for injured workers
• Lower costs for job accommodations for injured workers
• Less money spent for overtime benefits
Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to:
• Increased productivity
• Higher quality products
• Increased morale
• Better labor/management relations
• Reduced turnover
• Better use of human resources