April 28, 2021
Growing in our commitment to safer workplaces across Texas on International Workers’ Memorial Day
More than 600 work-related deaths occurred in Texas in 2019. Many workplace fatalities are preventable, which is why at Texas Mutual, we’re committed to helping over 1.5 million workers make it home safely to their families each day. Today, we recognize International Workers’ Memorial Day by remembering workers who died or were catastrophically injured on the job, and continuing in our mission to create safer workplaces across the state.
April 28 also marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It established both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets and enforces workplace health and safety standards, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), focused on conducting research and advising on solutions for preventing workplace accidents. While both organizations have taken great strides in ensuring safe working conditions across the country, we know plenty of work remains in collectively helping keep workers safe.
According to the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation, there were 2,702 fatal workplace injuries in Texas from 2015 to 2019. We see it as our responsibility to help businesses build safer workplaces and in the event of a workplace accident, step in to care for injured workers on the road to recovery. This commitment extends to a worker’s family in the tragic situation of a work-related death, when support is needed most.
One of the ways we support the families of our policyholders’ workers, who died from a workplace accident, is through our scholarship program. Our scholarship program is an exclusive benefit that we provide to our policyholders’ injured workers and their families. Since 2001, we’ve distributed over $1.2 million in college funds to qualifying family members of workers who died on the job or qualify for lifetime benefits.
With generational learning being one of our philanthropic pillars, we see it as our responsibility to support the families of our policyholders’ injured workers by helping them find their path through education. Scholarship recipients can receive up to $6,600 for tuition, books and supplies. In 2020, we distributed $213,643 in scholarships to 32 students to support them on their educational path.
We share in the mission of Kids’ Chance of Texas, which focuses on creating and supporting scholarship programs for children whose loved one was catastrophically or fatally injured on the job.
Through our strong partnership with this organization, we’ve grown in our commitment to support the education of the families of our policyholders’ workers when the unthinkable happens. Since 2015, Kids’ Chance of Texas has provided scholarships to 19 recipients through their program, in support of their educational growth. Our employees share their passion for this cause by supporting Kids’ Chance of Texas through volunteering and serving on their board of directors.
Today and every day, we’re putting our mission into action by collectively working to help Texas businesses keep their workers safe on the job. Learn how you can create a safer workplace through our safety resources for employers.