Employee and Community Engagement—Building a Safer Workplace with PHI Cares

June is National Safety Month, and this blog focuses on the power of employee and community engagement in creating safer workplaces and more resilient communities. For businesses, municipalities, and organizations, this is the perfect time to reinforce a culture of safety and emergency preparedness. With PHI Cares membership and PHI Air Medical, you can protect your people from both injury and unexpected financial burdens—making safety a true priority.

How Many Workplace Injuries Happen Each Year in the U.S.?

Every day, millions of Americans head to work, but not everyone comes home safely. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. employers reported 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in private industry in 2023. While this is a decrease from previous years, it’s still a staggering number. Even more sobering: there were 5,283 fatal work injuries in 2023—a life lost every 99 minutes on the job.

Which Jobs Have the Most Workplace Injuries?

Certain industries are more hazardous than others. Manufacturing, construction, agriculture, transportation, and healthcare consistently report the highest rates of injuries and fatalities. Workers in these fields face risks from heavy machinery, falls, vehicle accidents, and exposure to hazardous materials.

Many of these injuries occur in rural or remote locations, where the nearest trauma center may be hours away by ground. In these situations, air medical transport via air ambulance is often the only way to get critically injured or ill workers to the care they need—fast.

Are Most Workplace Injuries Preventable?

Despite the risks, most workplace accidents are preventable. OSHA and the National Safety Council report that over 99% of workplace accidents are preventable with proper training, safety protocols, and engagement. The leading causes of workplace injuries are slips, trips, and falls, followed by motor vehicle incidents, machinery accidents, burns, and workplace violence.

Human error is a factor in 80–90% of serious injuries, highlighting the importance of ongoing safety training and a strong safety culture in the workplace. When employees and community members are actively engaged in safety programs, injury rates drop and outcomes improve.

How Do Workplace Injuries Affect Businesses and Communities?

Workplace injuries and illnesses cost U.S. businesses billions each year in lost productivity, medical expenses, and administrative costs. The impact goes beyond dollars and cents. Injuries disrupt families and communities, especially in rural areas where access to advanced medical care is limited.

When an emergency happens, every minute counts. Delays in getting to a trauma center can mean the difference between life and death. This is where PHI Air Medical and PHI Cares membership come in—providing a critical safety net for employees, residents, and communities.

How Does PHI Cares Membership Protect Employees from Air Ambulance Bills?

With PHI Cares membership, employees and residents have zero out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary air medical flights—no copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. This removes a major source of stress for families and employers alike, ensuring that a medical emergency doesn’t turn into a financial crisis.

Can Air Ambulance Services Help in Workplace Accidents?

Absolutely. For severe injuries—such as traumatic falls, crush injuries, burns, or medical emergencies like cardiac arrest—rapid air medical transport can be the difference between life and death. This is especially true when ground transport is too slow or not feasible.

PHI Air Medical crews are highly trained professionals, including a flight nurse and a flight paramedic, who deliver ICU-level care in the air. Their medical helicopters and airplanes are equipped with advanced medical devices to stabilize and treat critical injuries en route to the hospital.

How Can Businesses Improve Workplace Safety?

Businesses can take several steps to improve safety and protect their employees:

• Integrate safety into onboarding: Ensure every new hire receives job-specific safety training.
• Conduct regular safety drills: Practice responses to medical emergencies, severe weather, and other scenarios.
• Promote open communication: Encourage employees to report hazards and near-misses.
• Display emergency contacts: Post PHI Air Medical and local EMS contact information prominently.
• Offer PHI Cares membership: Protect employees, volunteers, and residents from the financial impact of emergencies that require air medical transport.

Can Organizations Offer PHI Cares Membership as a Benefit?

Yes, organizations can offer PHI Cares membership program as a benefit to protect employees, volunteers, and residents from the financial burden of air ambulance services. This demonstrates a commitment to the wellbeing of everyone in the organization and the broader community.

Real-World Examples: When Air Medical Transport Saves Lives

• Construction Worker Fall:
  A construction worker suffers a serious fall from scaffolding at a remote job site. Ground transport to the nearest trauma center would take over an hour, but PHI Air Medical arrives within minutes, providing advanced care and rapid transport.
• Agricultural Machinery Accident:
  A farmer is injured in a machinery accident on a rural property. PHI Air Medical’s crew stabilizes the patient and flies them to a specialized trauma center, ensuring the best possible outcome.
• Medical Emergency at Work:
  An employee suffers a heart attack at a manufacturing plant. PHI Air Medical is called, and the patient receives life-saving care en route to the hospital.

The Bigger Picture: Shared Responsibility for Safety

Workplace injuries remain a significant challenge, but most are preventable with proactive safety measures and engagement. When emergencies do occur, PHI Air Medical and PHI Cares provide a critical safety net—delivering rapid, expert care and eliminating the financial burden of air medical transport.

Protecting employees and residents isn’t just a regulatory obligation—it’s a shared responsibility and a cornerstone of resilient, thriving communities.

Ready to Build a Safer Workplace and Community?

For National Safety Month 2025, take the next step in protecting your people. Learn more about PHI Cares membership and how it can benefit your organization by visiting PHICares.com. With PHI Air Medical and PHI Cares, you’re not just responding to emergencies—you’re building a culture of protection, preparedness, and peace of mind.

Sources:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses—2023
• OSHA: Commonly Used Statistics
• AFL-CIO: Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2025
• National Safety Council: Injury Facts
• OSHA Outreach: Workplace Injury Statistics You Should Know In 2025
• PHI Cares: Organizational Membership