With demand up, steel industry sees rise in incidents
After a decade-long decline in injuries and deaths in the North American steel industry, there was a sharp rise in 2004, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. Steelmakers and union officials are especially concerned about how this decline in safety may be associated with the rise in production and turnover rates.
With production up 7 percent in 2004, economists are reporting that workers are trying to meet demand by working more hours and thus increasing their chances for accidents and fatalities. Additionally, with steel companies offering senior workers early-retirement packages in hopes of cutting costs, they are trying to meet demands with a less experienced workforce.