Do you fear for your life each day when you head to work? No, this isn’t a joke with Monday or your boss as the punch line. Thousands of people die each year due to injuries suffered on the job. Do you have the type of job with inherent safety risks?
Some jobs obviously tend to be more dangerous than others. Lion tamers and offshore oil rig workers jump to mind. However, the millions of people who work in modern manufacturing facilities can also find themselves surrounded by equipment that can kill if not handled properly.
For example, workers maintaining equipment can be seriously injured from the unexpected energization of, release of stored energy from, or startup of equipment. That’s why mandatory safety training, such as those related to lock-out/tag-out procedures, is so critical.
Lock-out/tag-out rules establish standards for the shutdown of equipment, so that energy sources can be isolated to prevent the release of potentially hazardous energy during routine maintenance activities. Following proper lock-out/tag-out procedures helps workers to avoid preventable workplace accidents and injuries.
Fortunately, it appears that a focus on safety training nationwide is working. A recent EHS Today article reports that “[t]he U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ [BLS] 2024 fatal occupational injuries data showed 5,070 worker deaths – a second consecutive year of decline.”
NSC CEO Lorraine Martin claims that “[t]his progress shows that when employers focus on serious injury and fatality risks, invest in prevention and build strong safety cultures, lives are protected.” However, she believes that “5,070 deaths in a single year is still 5,070 too many. We must accelerate proven strategies that address the highest-risk exposures and ensure every worker gets home safe.”
To put these statistics in perspective, BLS data shows:
- “The fatal work injury rate was 3.3 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in 2024, a decrease from a rate of 3.5 in 2023.”
- “A worker died every 104 minutes from a work-related injury in 2024 compared to 99 minutes in 2023.”
- “Workers in transportation and material moving occupations represented the occupational group with the most fatalities with 1,391 fatal work injuries in 2024, though this was a 7% decrease from 2023 (1,495).”
How can manufacturers get the total of workplace fatalities down to zero? There’s simply no substitute for thorough, effective safety training for every worker before setting foot on the shop floor. For manufacturers without significant experience setting up a safety training program, it can help to partner with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time.
For example, DAC Worldwide offers two safety training systems specifically designed to give employees the hands-on experience they need to master lock-out/tag-out skills:
- DAC Worldwide Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System
- DAC Worldwide Electrical Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System
Be sure to check out these training systems and contact a DAC Worldwide representative to learn how you can improve your training today!
