Workplace Safety Incentives Since 1991
From time to time, the question is raised as to whether Safety Pays -- a comprehensive safety incentive program -- might, in some way be construed as gambling because of its use of a bingo-type game format? First of all, keep in mind Safety Pays is a nationally recognized safety incentive approach which, for over 20 years, has been considered one of the best solutions available to assisting a company in reducing accidents and prevent losses.
It just so happens that one of the program's elements is a bingo mechanism. This mechanism, though, is not utilized in any way that would be considered gambling. Why? Because gambling is defined as putting some amount of consideration, usually in the form of money, "at risk" in order to participate in the chance to receive a larger pay-out in return.
Safety Pays requires nothing from a company's employees other than their existing obligation to make best efforts to avoid on-the-job accidents and injuries. In fact, there are only two primary requirements of the employees:
That said, we recognize the word "BINGO" is a term of art often used as a gambling mechanism -- sometimes for charity, sometimes for profit. But check into any TOYS 'R US store and you'll also see it's a common child's game used no differently than Monopoly or Checkers -- that is, strictly for fun and amusement. At its core, bingo is just another game format. Period.
What's key to whether any game is gambling is its goal and how this goal is being pursued. Anyone who takes the time to examine how Safety Pays works will inevitably see that its sole purpose is to promote employee safety awareness and in so doing, reduce (if not eliminate) workplace accidents.
In fact, the Safety Pays bingo format is used strictly as an entertaining means of encouraging involvement in a company's safety program and, in turn, equitably rewarding its workers on a regular basis for their success in avoiding workplace injuries.
Moreover, Safety Pays is in use by thousands of companies throughout the U.S. At no time has Safety Pays ever been accused by a governmental body of being in violation of any gambling statutes or code provisions. In fact, there are various counties and municipalities around the country using the program for their own civil service employees!
Moreover, Safety Pays is endorsed by a vast number of national safety organizations because it so successfully accomplishes that most basic public policy goal; namely, increased safety in the workplace. In addition, the program generates good will and excellent public relations between management and its workforce within a company using the program.
To assist you in becoming more comfortable with the legalities of utilizing a safety bingo loss control approach, we'll be happy to provide you an article from "Safety & Health" magazine published by the National Safety Council in which Safety Pays is outlined as an appropriate means of employing safety incentives.
So, rest assured that through the use of Safety Pays, a company is simply using a unique and highly effective motivational strategy to ensure the safety and well-being of its workforce.