Imagine your state has the highest workplace fatality rate in the nation. What would you recommend to change that?
A panel in Wyoming, which does have the highest worker death rate, has made four recommendations:
- Increase OSHA fines
- Form a stronger alliance between Wyoming’s state OSHA and industries
- Significantly increase front-line safety training, and
- Hire an expert to create a database and track trends in workplace fatalities.
Wyoming’s occupational death rate is 17.1 per 100,000 workers, which is more than four times the national average.
The Wyoming Worker Fatality Prevention Task Force recently found that insufficient penalties and the state’s proud culture of independence and toughness were two major reasons the state has the highest death rate.
One state lawmaker recently noted that the fines are much higher for poaching a moose out of season than for reckless violation of OSHA rules that result in a worker’s death.
What do you think of the four recommendations? Which will be most effective in reducing worker deaths? Let us know in the Comments Box below.