At a steel mill in Seguin, Texas, an employee suffered burns to more than 60% of his body after hot liquid steel spilled onto him. He died in a hospital three days later.
Research: Workplace Injuries Are More Common When Companies Face Earnings Pressure
High workloads and cuts to safety protocols can have consequences.
May 18, 2017
Summary.
Do workplace injuries occur more commonly in companies that are facing increased pressure to meet earnings expectations? According to research, injury/illness rates at U.S. companies are five to 15% higher in periods where a firm meets or just beats analyst forecasts than in other periods. The injury/illness rate for such firms is also significantly higher compared to firms that miss or comfortably beat analyst forecasts. Managers may be increasing employees’ workloads by pressuring them to work faster or for longer hours. Employees may also be compromising their own safety by overexerting themselves or ignoring safety protocols that slow work flow.