According to a survey by Employers Insurance Co., among the risks facing small businesses, workplace safety risks are the most worrisome for potentially affecting the business. The survey interviewed a national representative sample of 502 small businesses with fewer than 100 employees.
The survey also sought to learn how prepared small business owners felt they were for various workplace injuries, and if or if they were focusing attention on unlikely events. "We were relieved to find that the most common type of injuries--slips, trips and falls--was cited most often," says Employers' Stephen Festa. "However, we were surprised that almost four out of five small business owners did not claim to be most prepared for them." The study found that only 21% of respondents felt most prepared to address slip, trip and fall exposures. When asked which risk they felt least prepared for, 29% of respondents said that acts of violence topped that list.