Economic Benefits of Improving Worker Protection at Mechanical Engineering Enterprises

Sustainable development calls for the harmonization of economic, social, and environmental interests. Protection of worker health and safety is an important component of economic development. Today, the global incidence of occupational injuries and illness is very high. That may be attributed to unsatisfactory working conditions, deterioration of equipment, and the management attitude that expenditures on worker health and safety are unjustified. In the present work, the losses due to inadequate worker protection and occupational injuries and illness are analyzed; and the economic impact of improving worker protection is detailed.