Safety first?

I always am amazed at the rhetoric and lip service that some companies..especially large ones that should know better ...give to safety and the learning as well as the rewarding of good contractor/worker performance.Why is this so?.Safety performs not only a life preservation activity... but is part of the efficient completion of many schedules in the construction arenas...so why so little rewards for genuine performances...especially during expensive shutdown maintenace procedures costing nearly 20 millions and more?something to think about?