Safety is good business. An effective health and safety program can save $4 to $6 for every $1 invested. It's the right thing to do, and it pays off in lower costs, increased productivity and higher employee morale. As an employer, you have a duty to protect your workers from injury and illness on the job. 

A formal health and safety program is substantially more than a way to comply with federal and state regulators, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Dept. of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

What are the essential components of a successful health and safety program? Depending on industry, state, regulations and your safety manager, the answer may be as small as four or as large as the National Safety Council's "Nine Elements of a Successful Safety & Health System." One of the common threads that appear across all industries and within state and federal regulations is the need for employee health and safety training.