All the Insurance in the World Can’t Prevent a Fatality

Examining the Limits of Insurance in Protecting Against Risk

Insurance for businesses is critical. It can help protect employers, reduce liability, support employee needs, and so much more. Unfortunately, no amount of insurance alone can prevent an injury or fatality. And no insurance agent wants to see their client go through that type of tragedy.

The missing ingredient, as you may have guessed, is an effective workplace safety program that is taken seriously by the employer and employees alike. This blog will look at the consequences of poor safety culture and exactly how safety training could have made the difference.

Proper safety could have made the difference

Sadly, there are countless serious injuries and fatalities that occur in the workplace that could have been easily prevented. Here are just a few to consider.

Horrific death at Bumble Bee Tuna

In 2012, a Bumble Bee Tuna worker was loading an enormous oven when a coworker turned it on, not realizing the worker was in the oven, leading to the man’s death.

1. The consequences: In addition to the horrific loss of life, the company was forced to pay $6 million in a settlement, and two leaders were convicted of crimes associated with the incident.
2. How it could have been prevented: Had proper confined space and lockout/tagout procedures been followed, the incident never would have happened.

Amputation suffered on first day of work

In 2015, a new employee suffered severe burns and the loss of four fingers his first day on the job for Quality Blow Molding.

1. The consequences: The company was fined hundreds of thousands of dollars following an OSHA investigation.
2. How it could have been prevented: OSHA found that the company did not train the employee about safety protocols related to hazards of the machine, leading to the accident.

Willful violations lead to tragic death

In 2022, a worker sustained fatal injuries when caught in a machine at Great Lakes Polymer Technologies, where duct tape covered a safety interlock and prevented the machine from shutting down.

1. The consequences: OSHA issued citations for two willful violations, one repeat violation, and seven serious violations following the incident, with proposed penalties of $292,421.
2. How it could have been prevented: OSHA found that the company failed to ensure proper safety procedures were in place, and did not train workers on lockout/tagout procedures. Had these been used, the terrible accident would not have occurred.

In these examples (and sadly, so many more), properly training employees on safety protocols could have made the difference.

Your opportunity as a trusted agent

Pairing solid insurance with workplace safety significantly increases your value to an employer. You probably already know that many employers struggle massively to build effective safety programs, due to lack of knowledge, resources or time (or simply because they’re not using the right approach).

In fact, the National Safety Council found in a recent survey that 42% of workers lack proper safety training at work, with 39% of workers saying that lack of proper training led to a serious injury in their workplace.

That’s where you come in! Imagine the power of solving a perpetual challenge, without adding expenses or administrative work to your client’s plate. If you’re interested in delighting your clients (and attracting more prospects) with a turnkey safety program, let’s talk!