17 Percent of Small Business Employees Never Get Workplace Safety Training

Your employees consider their safety at work a top priority. And they want to know that you’re taking it seriously, too.

But a new survey from small business insurer Employers finds that a surprising number of small business employees never get any workplace safety training. And the smaller the business, the less likely they’re going to get that training.

Workplace Safety Training Statistics

The survey of small business employees found that 17 percent never got any workplace training. For companies with less than 10 employees, that number jumps to 25 percent.

Of course, these figures don’t necessarily mean that the small business they work for doesn’t take workplace safety seriously or that they’re in an unsafe workplace. But it may be perception is just as important here. And if that’s the case, small businesses have even more work to do.

Among the same small business employees surveyed, 40 percent say their employers do not display any OSHA workplace safety materials throughout their business. Or, if they do, the employees surveyed couldn’t find it.

“In today’s tight labor market, it’s important that small businesses, which employ more than half of the American workforce, recognize safety of the work environment is a top priority for employees. One way for employers to attract and retain valued talent is to have and communicate a commitment to workplace safety. By fostering a safe work environment, small businesses can protect and retain their most valuable asset, their employees,” said David Quezada, Vice President of Loss Control at Employers.

Most employees of small businesses do believe their employer takes their safety on the job seriously. But 1 in 10 surveyed told Employers they actually believe the opposite. And again, the smaller the business, the less likely it is employees feel their safety is a top priority. Just 87 percent of the employees at companies with less than 10 employees said they believed safety was a priority at work, compared to 96 percent of those working at bigger small businesses who say their employers do make it a priority.

If there is a problem with workplace safety, don’t expect your employees to come forward and say something. Just more than half of those surveyed say they felt comfortable coming forward and discussing their concerns over safety with management.

Quezada says, “Business owners and management need to set an example by offering regular training and displaying proper safety signage, as well as by being open to their employees who report concerns.”

For this survey, Employers questioned 1,011 adults in the U.S. working for small businesses.

Health and Safety Photo via Shutterstock

This article, "17 Percent of Small Business Employees Never Get Workplace Safety Training" was first published on Small Business Trends