I was amazed to read that nearly 5,500 people died on the job in 2007. What was perhaps even more amazing is that that number is down 6% from the previous year. Meanwhile, murders on the job increased by 13%, bringing the total to 610. This is another remarkable figure posted in an article on Inc.com
If you pattern this out, based on a full 52 week year, 150-odd people are dying weekly from fatal work accidents. And eleven-plus people are being murdered every week while on the job. Gives new meaning tot he term, “this is your last day at work.” It also demonstrates there are either a lot of clumsy people out there or the safety standards at different industries are sub-par. Probably is a combination of both.
As for all the murders, there have to be a lot of angry folk around the water cooler. Some, obviously are more angry than others. Or less sane. Perhaps it’s the economy, too many lousy TV shows, domestic disputes. It is tough to say, really.
I do know this. When we run our background checks we look for behavior patterns. While no one can easily discern clumsy, the combined criminal search, credit report and, surprisingly, Motor Vehicle Records Search, will often reveal behavior patterns indicating substance issues and domestic strife. If this kind of behavior does show up, then you may want to reconsider the candidate rather than endanger your work force.
One more reason to check them out before you hire.
