Minnesota Safety Council: Minnesota Safety Council Spotlights What Works, What's New In Worker Safety

Minnesota Safety Council Spotlights What Works, What's New In Worker Safety

(May 10, 2006, ST. PAUL, Minn.) - Reducing worker injury and illness, on and off the job—one of the most critical economic issues facing employers today—is the focus of the 72nd annual Minnesota Safety and Health Conference, presented by the Minnesota Safety Council, May 10-12, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

"When employers devote resources to preventing unintentional injury, both on and off the job, they make an investment in lowering their workers' comp and employee health care costs," said Carol Bufton, president of the Minnesota Safety Council. "It's an investment that pays off in preventing suffering and improving the bottom line."

The cost of workers' compensation alone was $1.58 billion in Minnesota in 2004 (latest figures available).

The Minnesota Safety & Health Conference attracts more than 1,000 safety and health professionals. Among this year's highlights:

Local and national experts, including Dr. E. Scott Geller, one of the nation's leading experts on the behavioral aspects of safety.
Ninety breakout sessions focused on improving safety performance, with topics ranging from accident investigation to emergency preparedness to workplace violence.
The latest workplace safety resources and services on display in the Exhibit Hall (May 10-11).
Friday, May 12, at 1:15: Minnesota Commissioner of Labor and Industry Scott Brener will recognize employers who have achieved outstanding safety records, at the 72nd annual presentation of the Governor's Safety Awards. The awards program has been coordinated by the Minnesota Safety Council since 1934.

Data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that more than 300 Minnesota workers are injured or become ill from work-related causes each day.

The Minnesota Safety Council, founded in 1928, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Minnesota by preventing unintentional injuries and deaths.

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