Is Safety About Lives or About Money?

Safety isn’t a tug-of-war between people and profit. It’s one decision—protect lives and protect the business. In construction and other high-risk fields, the data is blunt: the U.S. recorded 5,283 fatal work injuries in 2023, and roughly 1 in 5 workplace deaths occurred in construction. Falls remain a leading killer. These aren’t abstractions; they’re families and crews.

The Cost Side (Why Money Follows Good Safety)

Unsafe work is expensive. The total cost of work injuries in 2023 was $176.5B—lost wages and productivity, medical and administrative costs, and more. That’s over a billion dollars a week leaving balance sheets. Investing in prevention and the right PPE is not “overhead”; it’s avoided loss.

The Human Side (Why Lives Come First)

Behind every line item is a person. Globally, the ILO estimates nearly 3 million work-related deaths each year, with hazardous sectors like construction driving a large share. Treating safety as optional is both unethical and economically irrational.

What High-Performers Do

• Lead like lives depend on it (they do): Supervisor behavior, near-miss learning, and clear accountability.

• Engineer risks down, then equip: Remove/guard hazards first; backstop with standards-aligned PPE (ANSI/ISEA, ASTM, NIOSH).

• Target the biggest losses: Focus on falls, overexertion, and struck-by events where incidents—and costs—cluster. OSHA

PPE That Works in the Real World

When elimination and engineering controls can’t fully erase risk, PPE closes the gap—head protection, fall systems, hand/eye/respiratory protection, hi-vis apparel—selected for the task and fit for the worker. Even regulators are modernizing: OSHA has highlighted the move from traditional hard hats toward safety helmets with better retention and side-impact performance for certain tasks.

How Mihtey Solutions Helps You Win on Both Fronts

Mihtey Solutions is purpose-built for buyers who refuse to choose between people and performance.

• Safety first, standards always: We source ANSI/ISEA, ASTM, and NIOSH-aligned PPE and tactical safety gear from vetted manufacturers, with compliance documentation on hand.

• Built for construction & industrial realities: From hi-vis and fall protection to modern head protection, gloves, boots, eye and respiratory gear, we help you match product to hazard profile and job conditions.

• Fast, transparent procurement: Clear specs, letters of supply, and competitive pricing—so you can outfit a five-person crew or a multi-site operation without friction.

• Selection support: You set the hazards and constraints; Mihtey curates options (comfort, durability, availability) that crews will actually wear.

Bottom line: Safety protects lives first—and it protects budgets by preventing the most costly events. With Mihtey Solutions, you don’t have to pick. You can do both, today.

Let’s raise your standard of protection.
🌐 mihtey.com 📧 info@mihtey.com

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2023 (press release & PDF). Bureau of Labor Statistics+1

• BLS, The Economics Daily: “Fatal falls in the construction industry in 2023” (share of fatalities; falls). Bureau of Labor Statistics

• OSHA, Fall Prevention Campaign (falls are leading cause in construction; 2023 data). OSHA

• National Safety Council, Injury Facts—Work Injury Costs (2023). Injury Facts

• MIOSHA fact sheet summarizing NSC 2023 cost components. Michigan

• ILO, Nearly 3 million work-related deaths annually (news release) and peer-reviewed estimate (2019 ≈ 2.9M). International Labour Organization+1

• OSHA, News Release (Dec 2023): agency moving to safety helmets; OSHA Safety & Health Information Bulletin on head protection (Apr 2024).