Safety E-Quick Tip Follow-Up: The Heartbreak of Ignored Safety – 8/11/25

Safety E-Quick Tip

OWYN Safety Management Platform

The Heartbreak of Ignored Safety

Last week, I might have come on a bit strong when I spoke about the heartbreaking reality of a fatality that leaves a child behind. Some may say I was overboard emphasizing the need for collective responsibility to ensure a safe worksite.

But let’s get real: It’s the truth.

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that I did exaggerate about the fatality. What are the actual chances of someone being killed on the job? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of fatal work injuries in 2023 was 3.5 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers.

But here’s the gut-wrenching truth: Each of those 3.5 fatalities could leave behind one or more children—children who are counting on their family members to come home safely at the end of the day.

And it’s not just parents we need to think about. Family members—like aunts, uncles, and grandparents—may also leave children behind when they leave for work. When they leave for work, they are doing it for their families. They are doing it for the children who are waiting for them to come home.

Imagine two or three children together, looking out a window, their faces filled with hope and worry, waiting for their family members to return home. This image captures the essence of our responsibility to keep their loved ones safe.

If that’s not enough reason for you, let’s consider a couple of other ways workplace accidents affect families:

• Lost Time Accidents: When a family member can’t work due to an injury, they can’t pay the bills or put food on the table.
• Company Shutdowns: When companies can’t get work because of high accident rates, it creates a poor reputation, high costs due to accidents—including insurance and workers’ compensation—and can even lead to shutdowns when the owner can’t handle it. I’ve written about two companies that shut down for these exact reasons.

Our children depend on us to work together for a safer, more productive, and profitable workplace so they are never left behind!

Let’s make a commitment today. Let’s work together to ensure that no child is left waiting by the window for a family member who will never return.

Employee QuickTip

Every time you correct a safety hazard that you might be exposed to, remember that you are not just protecting yourself, you are also safeguarding the family members of your coworkers who depend on them coming home safely.

Employer/Management QuickTip

Invest in safety training and resources for your employees to not only protect your bottom line but to show your employees and their families that you care about their well-being.

Have you received your first Safety E-QuickTip and would like to check out some QuickTips from the past? Check out our Safety E-QuickTips Archive Page on our website.

If you know of someone or a company that might benefit from receiving Safety E-QuickTips, please take a moment to share this with them so they can sign-up today.

Stay Safe – You’ve Got This!

Your OWYN Safety Solution Team

Keith B. Dague, President