National Safety Month

Workplace injuries don’t announce themselves. They follow patterns (like overlooked hazards, deferred maintenance, gaps in training) and most of the time, they’re preventable. That’s the core message behind National Safety Month, the annual campaign led by the National Safety Council (NSC) that returns this June for its 30th year.

The cost of inaction is real and measurable. According to NSC’s Injury Facts, work injuries cost US workforce and economy $181.4 billion in 2024 including $36.8 billion in medical expenses and nearly $55 billion in lost wages and productivity. The average medically-consulted injury carries a price tag of $48,000. For a small or mid-sized business, one serious incident can ripple well beyond the individual involved.

The good news is that the trend is moving in the right direction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries in 2024, a 3.1% decline from the prior year and the lowest rate since 2003. Sustained employer attention is making a difference.

This year’s campaign focuses on four areas: advancing safety culture, road safety for workers who drive on the job, holistic worker health, and preventing slips, trips, and falls. That last category deserves particular attention. Falls account for 21% of all preventable workplace injuries nationally, according to NSC, and the average workers’ compensation claim for a slip or fall runs close to $54,500. Regular walkthroughs, prompt hazard remediation, and appropriate footwear and matting for your specific environment are among the highest-return investments an employer can make.

Road safety is especially relevant here. Hawaiʻi’s commercial vehicles, delivery fleets, and service workers share some of the most congested and varied roadways in the country, from narrow rural roads to high-volume corridors shared with visitors, cyclists, and pedestrians. Clear, written policies on distracted driving, along with realistic expectations about schedules and response times, help protect workers and the public they drive alongside.

Holistic worker health rounds out the picture. Employees managing fatigue, stress, or burnout are more prone to errors and incidents, and the physical and mental sides of safety are more connected than many employers realize. Making sure workers know what support resources are available to them, including Employee Assistance Programs, costs little and can matter a great deal.