How can American companies make the workplace environment safe and efficient without treating...

The question uses very strong language, implying that "treating employees like suspected criminals" can make the workplace safe and efficient. Fact is that in modern societies, with considerably good standard of living and job opportunities available to an average employee, a practice like that is likely to be least effective in moulding the behavior of employee for any way. The best way to mould the behaviour of employees in any particular way is to have two components. First is to properly instruct and train them in the right ways of doing their work. Second is to design the work and their reward system in such a way that they will be able to best satisfy their personal need by contribution to the total organizational goals.

An approach lie this for improving safety in the work place would simply require that people are educated about importance of safety and the right methods of working safely. Along with this if they are provided the right equipment and environment of safe working. When this is done the employees will adopt the safe working for their own safety.

Methods of improving efficiency will require some what additional thinking and efforts in determining what kind of working systems and employee behavior will lead to best efficiency. With the insights gained from such an exercise the organization can develop a working system that employee find meaningful and satisfying. Also then the reward system of employees should be linked clearly to their contribution to efficiency.