Most workplaces are fraught with danger, no matter if we talk about construction sites, offices, or other kinds of environments. Injuries and accidents at the workplace are a daily occurrence. Fortunately, you can avoid most of them if you respect a list of rules that enhance workplace safety. Yes, most workplace accidents are minor and easy to address, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t treat them as severe occurrences. These kinds of accidents change lives and can cost a business substantial sums in compensation and time. Safety procedures won’t prevent all workplace accidents, but they can lower the number of hazards and risks that can trigger negative occurrences and potential damage.
Here are some essential rules to help you improve workplace safety and limit the number of accidents and injuries.
Preventing accidents is everyone’s job
All people working in a business setting are responsible for their personal safety. Each employee has a role in ensuring the workplace site is safe, from the manager to the janitor. Encourage your employees to take charge of their own safety and create a safer place for everyone. Develop a set of regulations they should follow and ensure each team leader enforces them on their unit.
Create a wellness and safety plan
One essential step in preventing workplace accidents is creating a comprehensive wellness and safety plan that explains all safety procedures and policies the workers must follow to stay safe. The document should include
- Information about how to complete tasks in safe conditions
- Procedures on how to alert the management to possible hazards
- Tools to document safety incidents
A wellness and workplace safety plan can help employees understand what your expectations are for them. This kind of document has the purpose of preventing miscommunication and possible legal problems if an accident occurs. It’s crucial to have a wellness and safety plan in place nowadays because employees won’t think twice before filing a suit after they get injured at work. And suppose you fail to provide them with the needed tools to stay safe. In that case, they can ask for expensive compensations, especially if they work with the help of an experienced solicitor like the lawyers from Personal Injury Claims Care.
Hold regular training
Educating your employees on proper workplace procedures and potential hazards can help them understand the risks they expose themselves to daily and teach them how to reduce the chances to experience injuries. Hold periodical training sessions to inform your workers about any changes in your safety standards and reinforce workplace safety policies. Depending on the industry you operate in, training can focus on:
- Teaching employees proper lifting techniques
- Educating employees on how to report accidents
- Promoting procedures for handling hazardous devices and materials
- Updating the locations of emergency equipment like AED machines and fire extinguishers.
Access to formal safety qualifications is also critical in preventing workplace accidents. Develop systems to help your workers self-evaluate when they need a refresher.
Maintain and inspect equipment
Routine inspection and maintenance of equipment and machinery are crucial in preventing workplace accidents. In industries like construction, the number of casualties resulting from the misuse of equipment or faulty machinery is quite high. Therefore, it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance and inspections on all equipment and keep the risky machinery in a top-notch state. Checking storage areas for safe stacking can prevent accidents and save lives as quickly as inspecting and maintaining powerful and heavy equipment. Make a priority from reviewing the tools and equipment your employees regularly use to ensure they’re the safest option for the job.
Require pre-employment physicals
Depending on the type of operations your company is specialised in, you may have to require candidates in particular roles to undergo physical and mental screenings before hiring them. These pre-employment physicals ensure that they are mentally and physically capable of performing their duties in the positions they occupy. For instance, pilots complete hearing and vision tests as part of their recruitment process to prove they’re capable of working.
The average pre-employment physical can include the following:
- Pull and grip strength tests
- Alcohol and drug screening
- Review of medical history
- Physical exam
- Cardiac stress test
- Lung capacity test
- Hearing and vision tests
You can require the employees who work in labour-intensive positions to take these physicals annually to ensure they’re apt for the job.
Dress appropriately from footwear to clothing
Avoiding dangling ties and jewelry, keeping the legs and arms covered, and wearing closed-toe shoes can minimise the chance of common workplace injuries. If needed, ask your employees to wear personal protective equipment and inspect it for damage before each shift and after use. Replace or repair damaged equipment promptly and ensure no employee wears inappropriate clothing.
Depending on the nature of your operations, you may have to provide your workers with personal protective equipment like:
- Foot protection
- Helmets
- Harnesses
- Goggles
- Gloves
- War coverings
- High visibility clothing like reflective vests
Train all employees to use their equipment correctly and perform unannounced workplace safety audits to utilise the protection clothing appropriately. You should also ensure that your employees are trained to handle specific conditions associated with their jobs. This includes wearing proper attire for extreme weather or job conditions. If they work outside during the cold season, they should wear warm layers and flexible clothing that allows them to bend or crawl easily.
Keep the workplace organised and clean
Another essential step in preventing workplace accidents is to maintain the settings organised and clean. Make cleaning procedures part of your employees’ responsibilities even if you have a cleaning team on site. Ensure their work areas are always free of spills, clutter, or other hazards that can cause an accident.
If you run a warehouse or other industrial setting, create a cleaning station stocked with all needed tools to allow employees to clean up spills and quickly remove clutter. Clearly mark the stations with lights and signs, so everyone can find them when needed easily.
The above rules are essential to create a safe workplace and maintain a high quality of work.
