Safety is a top priority for all workplaces. That’s because companies understand that they need to protect their employees from danger and make sure they are provided for. So here are seven ways to keep your workers safe inside the workplace:
1. Place safety first on your priority list
Make sure that your company’s first and foremost priority is safety. One way to do this is by establishing a safety committee that will be devoted to oversight and improvement of all aspects of workplace safety.
By prioritizing safety in the workplace, you’ll be able to reduce costs and boost productivity because your employees will remain safe while on the job. Plus, they’ll have peace of mind knowing that they are doing their part to support a safe work environment.
2. Perform an accident analysis
Perform an analysis on every worker’s injury, even when they are minor. The reason is that you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what caused the injury to avoid it happening again. And, by knowing what caused it, you can take steps to eliminate the potential hazard before anyone gets hurt.
It could also be wise to conduct risk assessments and hazard audits to make sure that all of your workplace safety rules are being followed. If you happen to find any issues or problems, the first thing you should do is to implement a plan of action.
3. Look for preventable accidents
Some accidents can happen in any workplace, no matter how much safety training employees have had. However, certain hazards in most workplaces are completely preventable if the employees work together to avoid them.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), preventable accidents are much more common in hazardous industries such as construction, where over a third of all injuries could have been prevented with better safety standards.
4. Introduce safety training
Every company should offer a comprehensive safety training program to all their employees and regular refreshers to employees who have been working there for a while. To make sure that your workforce is properly trained in safe behavior, consider the following:
- Do not skimp on the training program: Many companies will want to cut costs, and then, instead of having a comprehensive safety training program that covers every possible situation, they will only have minimal training for employees. This is not advisable as it can lead to injuries and workplace accidents.
- Check the effectiveness of your training: You must check and make sure that the safety training program is effective. You can do this by randomly asking employees questions about their training, then checking with supervisors to see if they are following through on what was taught in the training sessions.
5. Keep records of all injuries
Make sure that you keep accurate records of every accident that happens in the workplace. Not only will this help you to keep accurate records on what causes accidents, but injury reports are also often used for legal action if an accident happens.
So make it a priority to have a reliable injury reporting system to record all the data of injuries. Note that this does not give you free rein to judge employees who get injured. Rather, it’s just for your records to keep track of what happens in the workplace.
6. Don’t ignore violations of safety rules
Even when employees are purposefully or accidentally violating safety procedures that have been established in your workplace, you mustn’t just ignore them. If you do, you won’t be able to correct the situation, and it can lead to a serious accident.
For instance, you have an employee who came to work intoxicated, and you suspect that they’re using heroin or other substances which can affect their performance on the job. And if they are using drugs, allowing them to continue operating heavy machinery can be a disaster in the making.
But instead of just firing them on the spot, you might want to consider encouraging them to seek the help they need and enter rehab for heroin. This way, they will be able to get back on their feet and return to work, but not without undergoing the proper treatment first.
7. Make sure that your workforce is properly trained
Suppose some of your employees don’t have proper training on identifying hazards and avoiding workplace accidents before they happen. In that case, those may not get reported to management as quickly as possible. This can lead to an accident that could have easily been avoided.
That’s why you must make sure that all the employees in your business are properly trained to identify hazards and know what to do if an accident or injury happens. This will help them take immediate action, which can save lives or property damage.
Maintaining the safety of your workforce is not always easy. But by following these tips, you’ll be able to identify and correct any issues before they become serious problems. Once you do, your business will be able to run smoothly while maintaining a safe environment for everyone.
