More than 313 million global work-related accidents occur each year, according to the International Labour Organization, with a high percentage of those accidents resulting in significant time away from work. Each accident bears a personal and financial cost for the worker and the employer. Yet, many companies still take a corrective outlook on employee health and safety, dealing with accidents as they happen, rather than focusing on preventive measures and safety benefits.

At the center of a preventive employee health and safety (EHS) culture is the belief at the executive level that most accidents and harm should be preventable.

Building upon this belief is an appreciation that safety and health should not be viewed, as they traditionally are, as separate functions. Rather, worker health and safety are inextricably linked. Unhealthy workers represent a safety risk, and unsafe working conditions can negatively affect worker health.

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