What do workers worry about most? Violent crime and natural disasters, according to a recent survey by the National Safety Council of more than 400 U.S. workers. Unintentional injuries came in third on the workers' threat list, but, statistically speaking, injuries should have been the clear No. 1.
In 2004, the most recent year for which government statistics are available, 16,137 Americans were murdered and 230 died in natural disasters. Meanwhile, more than 110,000 died because of unintentional injuries, and more than 23 million were injured to the point of permanent or temporary disability.
Many workers also had misperceptions about where injuries occur. While only 5 percent of those surveyed said they felt safer at work than elsewhere, more than 44,000 U.S. workers died of injuries sustained away from the workplace, compared with about 5,000 who died of injuries that occurred in the workplace.
That misperception wasn't based on personal experience. The council's 2006 American Worker Safety Survey asked respondents whether they or anyone they knew had suffered an injury requiring medical attention in the last six months. Among those answering yes, 77 percent said the injury had occurred away from work.
The council, pointing out that employers are affected no matter where injuries occur, reports that off-the-job safety programs can help.
Among 1,300 U.S. businesses that have such safety programs, 58 percent reduced off-the-job injuries.