The National Safety Council's (NSC) Work to Zero program has expanded its Employer Investment Calculators to help organizations quantify the costs, savings, and potential return on investments to prevent serious incidents and fatalities. This initiative aims to provide employers with a stronger business case for safety technology investments by utilizing their own operational data.
The calculators, developed in partnership with the McElhattan Foundation, enable employers to compare technology costs with potential savings, test different scenarios, and estimate five-year returns on investment. The expanded calculator suite now includes 13 technologies, such as environmental health and safety (EHS) software, heat stress monitoring, and ergonomics video analytics. Approximately 8,500 users annually utilize the calculators to evaluate potential safety investments.
The need for better investment decisions is particularly urgent when it comes to preventing the most serious workplace incidents. Despite a decline in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury rate over the past 25 years, workplace fatalities have not fallen at the same pace. In 2023, more than 4,500 workers died on the job, resulting in significant financial costs. The average medically consulted injury costs an estimated $43,000, while the average workplace fatality costs $1.46 million.
"Too often, employers know a safety technology could save lives but struggle to demonstrate its business value," said Dr. Matt Law, director of Work to Zero at NSC. "These expanded investment calculators help organizations quantify the financial impact of preventing serious incidents and fatalities. By making it easier to build a strong business case, we can accelerate the adoption of technologies that protect workers and ultimately save lives."
The accompanying report, Making the Business Case for Safety Innovation, outlines a five-step framework for evaluating safety technology investments. The report explains how the calculators compare the costs of maintaining current risk levels against the potential savings from reducing serious injuries and fatalities.
Together, the report and calculators provide safety leaders with a practical pathway from identifying a workplace risk to evaluating a technology solution, demonstrating its value, and building the case for adoption.
The NSC's Work to Zero program aims to create a culture of safety, where technology investments are driven by data and evidence rather than anecdotal evidence. By providing employers with the tools to quantify the costs and benefits of safety investments, the program hopes to accelerate the adoption of safety technologies that can prevent serious incidents and fatalities.
In conclusion, the NSC's expanded Employer Investment Calculators offer a valuable resource for organizations seeking to build a stronger business case for safety technology investments. By utilizing operational data and providing a five-step framework for evaluating safety technology investments, the calculators can help organizations make informed decisions about the technologies they adopt to protect their workers and improve workplace safety.
Written by: Dr. Quirkatron | The Citizen Edition
“It's elementary, really.”