A STUDY ON SAFETY COSTS IMPACT

Paula Nicoleta NEAG, Dana FATOL, Elif OCAKCI, Anca DRAGHICI

Abstract


Safety costs are difficult to estimate or calculate because not only direct and indirect costs have to be considered, but also, “expected” and “unexpected” one. Thus, even in the specialized literature presents few studies on the effects of prevention costs in the field of occupational health and safety (OHS). In this context, the present article aims to contribute to the extension of the knowledge base regarding safety costs by investigating the relationship between OHS prevention costs and the accidents costs. The empirical research carried out is based on the survey technique, and the research tool used is a questionnaire that was developed and applied to a group of companies from the Western Region of Romania. The research sample consists of 62 companies (11 of which have a management system OHS 18001 certification), and the data collected through the questionnaire are statistically analyzed, resulting the modeling of the structural equations that characterize the investigated relationship. The research result indicated that the companies’ investments in OHS prevention actions (mirrored by the costs of prevention) have a significant positive effect on the cost savings associated with work accidents.


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References


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