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

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.

What Should You do if You Get Injured at Work

For most employees, their workplace is a safe environment that is maintained to keep everyone safe. Even if you do have to do a dangerous job, there will be measures in place to keep you as safe as possible. However, for a few people, their workplace is not so safe, and this can lead to accidents and injuries at work. No-one likes to take action against their employer, but if you do get injured, then you need to get the support you need.

What is the First Thing You Should Do?

Having an accident in any situation is scary and a little disorientating. However, when it happens, you need to think clearly and report it to your manager. If you need any medical attention, then in the first instance the first aider should be called and a paramedic if needed. If there are others there with you, ask them to take pictures of the incident on their cell phones including what caused the accident and pictures of your injury.

See Your Doctor

When you first suffer the injury, you will usually be sent to a doctor that has been hired by your employee. They will assess your condition and write a report to the employer. It is important to give the doctor all the information about the accident that caused the injury and any subsequent action taken by a hospital. Your employer should be made fully aware of the injury you suffered and also advised about your current condition. Your employer should give you a form to request benefit help. If they don’t provide one, your doctor or the hospital will also have them.

Seeking Help and Advice

If you think that your accident at work could have been prevented, or if you are unsure of the process, then you need to speak to a specialized lawyer. There is a personal injury attorney in San Diego and other states that can look at your case and decide what course of action needs to be taken. It is important to choose a lawyer that has experience in this type of case because they will be in a better position to advise you.

Gather Your Evidence

From the beginning, it is vital that you start to gather all of the evidence you can about the incident and the correspondence. Keep all your letters, medical reports and emails about your accident or your time off work so that your lawyer can see them. It also helps if your employer denies that something happened, or that an area wasn’t safe. It is also a good idea to keep the receipts of any medical procedures or drugs that you have been prescribed. It will help with finding a settlement figure later.

Many people successfully claim for compensations from their employer for an injury at work, and they have still employed them the same company afterwards. It is important that you know the procedure and who to seek help from at the time.

What Should You Do If Injured At Work


If you have been involved in an accident at work, then there are a number of steps that you should take to ensure that you are completely covered, particularly if the cause of the accident wasn’t your fault. Workplace accidents can occur for a number of reasons – negligence from the company that you are working at, or a contracted company such as a cleaning company in your building, faulty equipment, or simple bad luck. Here, we’re taking a closer look at the steps you should take, if you’ve been involved in an accident at work.

Record It

No matter how minor the results of the accident, it is always imperative that you report it and a record of the accident has been made. This can help to ensure that the company are aware of a potentially impending claim that is coming their way, and to ensure that you are seeking appropriate medical advice from the on-site trained first aider. Depending on the industry that you are working in, there are a number of procedures that you may need to go through when you are reporting an accident, but this is imperative. For example, if you are in the construction industry, and you’re not wearing the protective gear that you have been given, then the outcome of the accident could be much worse than if you were. Having some form of record of the accident is also important if you are looking to make a claim against your company.

Go To The Doctors

Going to the doctors is important if you have a minor to severe injury that requires attention. Having this on your medical record will not only support your claim, but seeking appropriate medical advice will ensure that your best interests are kept to. While you may see a sprain as an insignificant injury at the time, it can lead to much bigger problems in the future, so it is important that you get any form of injury seen to immediately, before they become much worse. Even a minor cut could end up infected particularly if it occurred from metal, wood or glass, so seeking medical advice is critical.

Make A Claim

If you are looking to make a claim, then you’re going to need a record of your injury and the accident is going to need to be a result of the company’s negligence. Through this, relevant insurance or claim companies can fill out an accident at work claim calculator to help work out how much you should receive in compensation. There are a number of legal requirements that need to be met when making a claim, so it is important to seek advice prior to attempting to make one, so you are not left without a job and no compensation.

Having an accident at work can be extremely serious in a large number of cases, and these have caused life-changing injuries and in more severe cases, even death. Make sure that you know what to do and who to turn to in the event of an injury at work, so you can take appropriate action.