Vital Strategies To Improve Workplace Safety

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Are you prioritising workplace safety? There are so many reasons why you should be. After all, it is not only the ethical responsibility of those in charge but shows in an obvious way that you care about your employees, something that in turn can help to keep them motivated and loyal.

Additionally, by avoiding accidents and threats to safety before they have even begun, you can minimise additional risk to your business, including financial and public relations ones. To that end, take some time to learn how to improve your company’s workplace safety today. You’llYou’ll be glad you did.

Employee training

There is nothing better than comprehensive training for your workers if you want to improve safety in your business. Studies also show that well-trained employees ot only recognise and report potential risks much more frequently, but feel safer and more confident in the work they do as well.

With that in mind, thorough and up to date safety courses need to be completed by every worker. Be sure that they cover each aspect of their role, and provide additional outsourcing training for any heavy machinery or exceptionally high-risk situation such as working with chemical hazards.

Reward the behaviour you want to see

One of the most straightforward ways to encourage safer workplace behaviour is to reward it when you see it. Now, this does have to be done with care because giving out stickers and badges to adults isn’t going to work!

Instead, making the praise and rewards, you offer relevant for the people that it applies to is vital. For example, you could run a system of spot checks and give out raffle tickets to those displaying safe behaviour. Then over time, the team with the best safety record would collect the maximum amount of chances to win a prize. The prize itself needs to be worth the effort too, so a more significant bonus like a weekend away, or even extra time off paid often does the trick.

Signage is crucial

If you want your workplace to be as safe as possible, you mustn’t scrimp on the signage. It is always better to have more safety signage that you need. However, clarity is essential so you must make sure that information for people reading the sign you place in your workplace do not become overwhelming and therefore muddy the message.

Use occupational experts

What you may not realise is that there are a whole load of experts out there that can help you improve safety through your business. In particular, those specialising in occupational medicine will be able to tour your premises and find the areas that are most at risk of causing injury to your employees.

Physical therapists and health and safety experts can also help you work on and improve the ergonomics in your business. That is, setting things up in a way that doesn’t encourage injury or repetitive strain on any part of the human body. Something that can help you avoid longer-term injuries too.

Listen to your employees

Often it is workers on the front lines that notice issues with safety before anyone else. Unfortunately, unless action is taken at the management level, such problems can be left without improvement.

To that end, you must listen to your employees when it comes to safety and never dismiss their concerns. Where possible, instituting a formal process for reporting issues concerning safety is the best approach here. The reason is that it helps you to see where the main problems lie and also track what you are doing to rectify them.

Cleaning and organisation

A clean and organised workplace is one that is most likely to have fewer accidents and injuries. In fact, because of the current situation, proper cleaning and sanitisation are just about as vital as they have ever been.

The thing is that it is super tough to keep a business organised and clean without the correct infrastructure. That is you need space in which to store items quickly when you aren’t using them, as well as the right cleaning materials and training on how to use them. Even having a schedule of what needs to be cleaned in each area every day will help make sure that the correct standards are upheld.

Provide the right equipment

Have you tried to open a can with a knife rather than a can opener? If so you will know that not choosing equipment specially made for the task in hand can make that task instantly more risky and likely to end in injury or accident. Well, the same applies to your business, and that is why it is so essential to provide your employees with the right and well-maintained equipment at work.

Of course, this applies to the equipment and infrastructure that you install within your premises too. Fortunately, when it comes to safety, there are plenty of things you can use like this mini ball valve which provides a manual shutoff for a liquid or gas system, even in a small space. The latter being something which will give that extra level of safety for your employees.

Breaks are vital

When you are under pressure, it is easy to encourage your employees to work as fast, for as long as they can without a break. However, studies have shown that breaks are an essential part of maintaining safety because they help to keep workers more focused and give their body a rest from repetitive actions as well.

With that in mind, it is your duty as an employer to set regular break times and ensure that workers abide by and use these.

Include safety issues in your meetings

Another way that you can boost workplace safety is to make sure that it is an integrated part of the way you run your business. That means you talk about it in meetings, and remind people of any particular issue is daily briefings.

When your employees get used to talking and thinking about ways that safety can be improved as a regular part of their day, you will find that incidents and accidents decrease.

Safety in Business: 7 Potentially Life-Saving Tips to Enhance the Workplace

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StrategyDriven Human Performance Management Article |safety in business |Safety in Business: 7 Potentially Life-Saving Tips to Enhance the WorkplaceAccording to the latest data from the Burea of Labor Statistics, your workplace might not be as safe as you think. In total, 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries occurred in 2018.

Workplace injuries can happen anytime, anywhere. But you’re not defenseless in the fight to make workplaces safer. Here are a few tips on safety in business that you can utilize in your workplace to keep employees safe.

1. Make Employees Aware of All Exits

This is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve workplace safety. Having proper signage can save lives in the event of an emergency, so make sure all fire exits are clearly labeled.

You should also make sure emergency exits are clear of debris at all times.

2. Undergo Safety Training Each Year

Safety protocol changes all the time. To make sure your team is up to date on the latest threats and hazards, dedicate time each year to proper safety training.

Bringing in safety professionals is a great way to make sure you and your team are prepared to handle a worst-case scenario.

3. Have Your Building Inspected for Hazards

Training is only the beginning, though. You’ll also want to bring in professionals to inspect all fire exits, ventilation systems, elevators, and more to ensure everything is up to code.

If your building isn’t up to proper code, you could face severe penalties which include hefty monetary fines, as well as an embarrassing PR nightmare. Fortunately, most code violations are easy enough to fix that if you aren’t up to code, you can remedy the situation without an issue.

4. Set Clear Kitchen Protocol

Having a place for employees to heat up meals and enjoy breaks is a great idea. But the kitchen can be one of the most dangerous areas of the office due to fire and electrical hazards.

Get all employees on the same page about best practice in the kitchen, like cleaning up spills, removing spoiled food, and what to do in case of a kitchen fire.

5. Engage Employees

The safest and happiest workplaces are those in which upper management takes employee opinions into consideration.
If you’ve yet to do so already, think about ways you can involve your employees in the safety protocol process.

Designate emergency roles, for instance, or send out surveys to see what your co-workers think you could do to make the work environment safer.

6. Test Smoke Alarms Once Per Month

When a fire hits your office, every second counts. If your smoke alarms aren’t functioning, employees’ lives are in danger.

The U.S. Fire Administration urges employers to check their smoke alarms at least once a month. These tests only take a few moments.

7. Strive For Continuous Improvement

Safety in the workplace is an ongoing process. Even if you feel comfortable with your strategies and solutions, don’t get complacent.

Always think about ways you can make your job site a safer location for your employees.

Safety in Business: Your Efforts May Save Lives

Your company needs to prioritize safety in business, and these tips are a great starting point. Remember to undergo regular hazard drills and rigorous safety training.

A few moments of your time could keep your team alive.

For more tips on being the best leader you can be, make sure to check back with our blog.

Safety Checklist: 8 Things to Consider at Work

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StrategyDriven Human Performance Management Article |Health and Safety| Safety Checklist: 8 Things to Consider at WorkHealth and safety in the workplace isn’t just a formality – it’s something that should be taken into careful consideration each day by every employee. Failing to comply with health and safety regulations, or even take health and safety seriously at work, can lead to serious injuries and even result in costly lawsuits for your business. Health and safety covers everything from trip hazards to ensuring that employees are fully trained to use potentially hazardous machinery and equipment. The type of workplace that you manage will be a huge factor in determining the specific health and safety requirements that you need to meet. We’ve put together a checklist to help you make sure that your workplace is a safe and enjoyable place for all to be.

#1. Regular Audits:

Health and safety isn’t something that you can deal with once and then forget about; it must be regularly revisited to ensure that everything is up to scratch. The best way to do this is by conducting regular health and safety audits so that you can see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted, replaced, or re-done. Audits should look for any potential hazards, no matter how small, and make sure that all employees are aware of their role in keeping the workplace safe. An ideal way to do this is by using a job safety analysis worksheet – use a program such as JSA Builder which allows you to collaborate with employees to share knowledge, mitigate the most hazardous tasks, customize procedures for your workplace, make more informed decisions, upload photographs and much more. To learn more about this program and how it can help your workplace be safer overall, follow this link for more info.

#2. Employee Training:

No matter how much effort you put in to making sure that your workplace is safe and risk-free, it can only stretch so far when employees are not aware of the role that they play. It’s a wise idea to invest in health and safety training for each employee, and make sure that they know which hazards to look out for and what to do in the event of each type of hazard. Often, it will be easy for employees to deal with the hazard themselves – for example, if they find a spillage or other trip hazard that can be cleaned up immediately. In other instances, it may be the right procedure to report the hazard so that it can be removed. Lay out clear expectations and safety regulations for employees and display these around the workplace so that they can be referred to at any time as and when needed. And, encourage communication regarding hazards. Make sure that employees know that it’s always better to double check if they are not sure, rather than ignore something that could potentially pose a safety risk to themselves and their colleagues.

#3. Equipment Training:

If your employees need to use machinery or other equipment as part of their job, then it’s important to have stringent rules in place regarding their use, particularly if the machinery could be dangerous. First of all, make sure that any employees who use this equipment or machinery regularly are fully trained to do so; never let any employee who has not been trained how to use equipment use it, for both safety and insurance purposes. If necessary, you should also make sure that employees are provided with any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to use machinery and other equipment safely, such as goggles and ear defenders, high-visibility clothing, hard hats, and protective footwear. No employee should be allowed to enter an area or use equipment that requires PPE without the correct gear. Finally, it’s a good idea to revisit training regularly and offer employees refresher courses – particularly if equipment is changed or upgraded.

#4. First Aid:

Your workplace should be supplied with an extensive, fully-stocked first aid kit. Depending on the type of work that is done by employees, the kit should be filled with a variety of different items. If burns are a risk in your workplace, for example there is a kitchen or employees are working with heated equipment, you should also supply a burns first aid kit in addition to the regular one. First aid kits should be provided in every type of workplace, even in an office where workers could be subject to injuries from falls, cuts and scratches. Lastly, it’s a good idea to offer certain members of staff first aid training; this allows somebody to be there as a first responder should an injury occur with a colleague, client or customer. Regularly double check the first-aid kit to re-stock it and ensure that all items are within the use-by date. This will vary depending on the type of item, but everything from bandages to antiseptic wipes will need to be replaced eventually.

#5. Review Emergency Procedures:

Make sure that all employees are fully aware of the procedures that they will need to take should an emergency arise while they are at work. Fire is a real hazard in all types of workplaces and one can start anywhere from the office to factories, so in addition to training, make sure that you have a fully working fire alarm system and regularly test it. Train your employees on what to do in the event of an employee emergency, fire, attack or other hazardous situation, and ensure that there is clear signage showing them what to do. For example, they will need to know where the emergency meeting point is, where they can pull the nearest fire alarm, and which emergency exit is the closest to them. Regularly review these procedures and make sure that each employee knows exactly how to react.

#6. Keep it Clean:

A workplace that is not kept regularly clean and tidy is not only horrible for employees to work in; it can also pose a health and safety hazard. A clean, clutter-free and tidy workplace will make a more pleasant environment for everybody and can actually help to boost employee mental health too, leading to better job satisfaction and productivity. Untidiness can pose all kinds of hazards from trips and falls to fire risks, so make sure that cleaning up is a priority for every member of staff. Provide enough waste bins around the work floor or office for employees to use and make sure that the restrooms are cleaned at least once per day. Rodent infestations are also a large problem caused by unclean workplaces, so make sure that you are aware of the signs – shiny droppings or gnawed food packages are usually a big tell-tale sign that rodents are in your workplace. If you suspect this, call pest control immediately as it’s not usually a problem that goes away on its own. It’s also a good idea to get a professional cleaner in to conduct a deep clean of your workplace at least once per week.

#7. Require Correct Footwear:

The clothing and uniform that your employees wear to work will largely depend on the type of environment that they are working in. Office environments tend to be more relaxed with footwear, and safety isn’t usually a big priority, however, in industrial and many other environments, there will need to be strict rules provided in order to keep employees both safe and comfortable. It’s important that each employee in this kind of work environment is wearing shoes that are not only the correct fit, but also provide the right amount of protection, such as covering the entire foot and made of a durable and protective material. If necessary, for example, in a warehouse environment or when working with heavy machinery, workers will need footwear that offers additional protection such as boots or shoes with steel toe caps. As an employer, you should work with your employees to provide a footwear program that ensures proper protection and the correct fit.

#8. Lighting:

Lighting can pose a bigger hazard than you think in any workplace environment, even in a relaxed office. Making sure that there is proper lighting in the office will help to prevent eye strain for employees who work predominantly on computers, and providing adequate lighting in stairwells and other workplaces areas is necessary to prevent falls, trips and other accidents. If your workplace has a parking lot, make sure that there is also adequate lighting outside so that both employees and visitors have a safe journey from the workplace to their car. Regularly check light bulbs and replace any that are broken or have gone out.
Health and safety in the workplace covers a wide spectrum, and hazards will vary depending on the type of work that is done by employees. However, from quiet offices to busy factories and warehouses, building sites and workers who travel, there are always potential hazards that each employee will need to be aware of. A full health and safety audit will allow you to determine the biggest risks for your workplace; then work together with your team to keep it safe for everyone.

5 Business Benefits of Good Health and Safety at Work

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StrategyDriven Human Performance Article |Health and Safety|5 Business Benefits of Good Health and Safety at WorkInstilling good health and safety practices in your workplace is essential. In fact, it should always be at the top of a business’s priorities, even if the industry your business is part of isn’t considered to undertake high-risk activities.

Failing to put in place appropriate health and safety measures can have serious repercussions that may negatively impact the overall success of your company. To emphasize more, this article will take you through the 5 business benefits of good health and safety at work that you should know about.

1. Save more on legal and insurance costs

It’s generally a bad idea for your business to be in and out of courtrooms due to scenarios that might have been avoided in the first place. Having said that, accidents at work can turn out to be very expensive in terms of legal fees, compensation payouts, fines, and remedial action required. If you properly train your employees on the importance of maintaining safety at the workplace, the possibility of having any costly accidents are greatly reduced.

2. Increase productivity

Good health and safety can also increase the overall productivity of any business. With proper measures in place, your employees will be able to carry out their jobs more efficiently, while remaining safe. This is because their morale will be highly uplifted knowing that they have very little to worry about concerning their health and safety at the workplace. I’m sure you’d like your employees to leave the workplace in the same healthy condition they arrived in, right?

“Back in the day, if there was an accident or health and safety issue in your workplace, you may have opened a filing cabinet to follow the paper trail. Those days are gone”, says David Rowland, head of marketing at Effective Software. “This is because the software has now become the dominant way to administer health and safety systems, and this can save your business time, unnecessary losses and, in the end, money”.

3. Enhance reputation

If your employees feel that you care about their health and safety, they will probably tell people about it. In the end, you’ll have more competition for employment spaces, and most importantly – more people will get to know about your brand (products or services).

For instance, let’s say you work as a call center agent in Company A, and as a result of work, you develop a throat and voice problem. Since you’ve made it a habit to call your mum after work, this time you simply text her and tell her that you can’t speak on the phone due to a voice problem you got from work. In the end, your mum might get a feeling that the company you’re working for is very irresponsible, and even go on to tell a friend about it. Word spreads around, and before you realize it, people don’t want to work for that company or buy its products.

4. Reduce absenteeism

Injuries or illness as a result of poor working conditions is arguably the main cause of increased employee absenteeism. For instance, if an integral staff member develops a more severe problem that requires an extended sick leave or time off, then you’ll definitely have to hire a new employee. Alternatively, you can choose to train someone within the company to take over the post. In as much as this is a step in the right direction, recruiting and training someone new will certainly cost you money. Don’t forget the amount of sick pay that you’ll have to pay the sick staff member.

5. Retain loyal employees

If your staff members feel valued by your company, this will most definitely make them happier at work. As a result, none of your employees would like to quit and work for a rival company. After all, who wouldn’t want to work for a highly reputable and caring company? Certainly not me!

It’s important that both you and your staff members are properly protected from injuries or illness at the workplace. By taking the necessary steps to safeguard their health and wellbeing, your employees will be far more inclined to focus on ensuring that your business succeeds. That’s why it’s important to remember the aforementioned business benefits of good health and safety at work.