WASHINGTON - Equitable Food Initiative, the capacity-building and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers and retailers, is recognizing National Safety Month by calling attention to the essential role of worker engagement in reducing safety risks, associated costs and providing resources to help reduce such instances.

According to the National Safety Council, workplace injuries cost U.S. businesses $176.5 billion in 2023, including $53.1 billion in wage and productivity losses and $36.8 billion in medical expenses. More than 103 million days were lost in 2023 due to workplace injuries. Agriculture remains among the most dangerous industries, with injury and fatality rates significantly higher than the all-industry average.

“June is the perfect time to remind the fresh produce industry that worker safety is not just a moral imperative—it’s a business strategy,” said LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti, director of marketing and communications at EFI, in a recent press release. “Companies that prioritize the voices of their workers are seeing direct results in reduced injuries, increased efficiency, and improved worker retention.”

With labor shortages continuing to strain the agricultural sector, EFI stresses that safety cannot be improved without engaging the estimated 2.5 million U.S.-based farmworkers. Studies show that when workers feel empowered to identify hazards and propose solutions, organizations benefit from both a safer environment and a more stable workforce. Gallup reports that disengaged employees are 64% more likely to be involved in a safety incident than their engaged counterparts.

EFI’s collaborative worker-management teams have led safety improvements such as reorganizing traffic flows, improving lighting, clarifying communication signals, implementing ergonomic practices to prevent repetitive motion injuries, improving ladder designs, tractor use, access to hydration and shade, and much more. These initiatives are not only worker-driven but also enhance productivity, efficiencies, and worker retention.

“One of the simplest ways to improve safety is to listen to and engage with workers,” Ruzzamenti added. “When workers are trusted partners in business operations, safety becomes a shared responsibility rather than a top-down mandate.”

EFI has trained more than 4,700 farmworkers and managers in communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution through its certification program across the United States, Mexico, and Central America.

National Safety Month, launched by the National Safety Council in 1996, serves as a reminder for organizations across all sectors to assess safety risks and take action. EFI urges produce companies to use this opportunity to evaluate health and safety plans and to engage workers for a safer and more resilient agricultural supply chain.