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What better time than Labor Day weekend to find out what U.S. employees think about safety in the workplace?

In a recent survey, workers ranked workplace safety regulations as the most important government standard to protect workers’ rights.

In the survey by the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC), 85% said safety regs are very important to protect employees’ rights.

Also, 90% said they agree or strongly agree with the statement that the safety of workers is a high priority with management where I work.

Other opinions:

• 87% agree or strongly agree that there are no significant compromises or shortcuts taken when worker safety is at stake
• 88% agree or strongly agree that where they work, employees and management work together to ensure the safest possible working conditions, and
• 92% agree or strongly agree that safety and health conditions where they work are good.

However, NORC notes in its report that stress on the job may be having a significant impact on workplace safety.

In a Gallup poll, 30% of employees said they were dissatisfied with the amount of stress in their jobs and only 28% of employees said they were completely satisfied with workplace stress. Thirty percent said they were dissatisfied with workplace stress. That number is up from 20% in 2002.

Studies have shown that work-related stress contributes to injuries and illnesses.

You can read the entire NORC report here (PDF).

Do you think more stress in the workplace contributes to more injuries? Let us know what you think in the Comments Box below.

Tags: government standard, National Opinion Research Center, what employees think