Employees are the lifeblood of a company. Without them, operations would stop, deliveries are delayed, transactions are halted, and the business fails. By making sure that they are protected from potential injuries and workplace risks, you can increase company success tenfold.
However, following and imposing these precautionary measures is a collective effort. Both employer and workers should try their best to uphold and obey these strict safety rules. So, how can you guarantee that everyone can handle and follow these regulations? Find out more about it here.
The 8 Steps
Begin your journey towards a better and more secure workplace with these steps:
1. Condition and Reward
Consistent workplace safety is a habit. It requires constant practice and reminders to guarantee that employees follow such regulations without being told. To do this, comprehensive safety training should be conducted annually. Emergency drills should be rehearsed, and a clear line for disaster management and command should be assigned and well-established.
Handing out rewards to outstanding employees who excel in performing these safety practices is also a good way to incentivize everyone to try their best in promoting a safe workplace culture.
2. Consult Occupational Clinicians
Conducting workplace safety seminars by yourself can be detrimental in the long run due to knowledge gaps and oversight. To prevent this, it’s best to hire experts and clinicians who have studied ergonomics and occupational safety.
Occupational medicine clinicians are among the people you can consult with, as they conduct a thorough assessment of the possible risks that your employees could face. From designing better furniture to screening employees’ skill sets, and improving safety protocols, these clinicians can provide valuable insight for your workplace.
3. Practice Proper Labelling
Proper labelling and signage are crucial in promoting workplace safety. They could mean life and death as they serve as visual signs of possible and immediate risks. Before putting them up, make sure that they communicate clear and concise information.
Universal images like the skull for poisonous substances and a flame for flammable substances are among the most commonly used signage as they transcend language and cultural barriers. Replacing blurred and damaged signs is also important if you want to avoid accidents. Hiring experts in Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System or undergoing WHMIS training in Toronto is also better to ensure that your employees are receiving the right information.
4. Keep it Organized and Clean
A cluttered and disorganized workplace is more prone to accidents than a tidy one. Messy wirings, precariously-arranged stacks, misplaced tools, tangled cords, and water spills can cause tripping, slides, and fatal accidents.
To prevent this from happening, opening and closing inspections should be conducted daily to assess, repair, and clear any clutter. Employees should also learn that they must report, or at least fix, any minor hazard that they see since workplace safety is a collective effort.
5. Provide Appropriate Tools and Equipment
Saving company profit by buying improper and low-quality equipment and tools is going to cost you more in the long run. Faulty tools and malfunctioning machines can lead to higher rates of accidents, as they are not suitable for the task at hand.
To ensure that every workplace piece of equipment is in tiptop shape inspections and cleaning should be performed regularly. If you are running a logistics company, all vehicles should be checked by experts in truck repair services like in Oakville.
6. Schedule a Break and Stretch Hours
Office workers who sit for a long time are more likely to suffer from chronic physical pains and illness than those who are active at their job. Prolonged inactivity can endanger joints and muscle groups as they can still cause intense pressure and strain. This is why it’s important to visit some Guelph physiotherapy clinics to release stress and pain.
This accumulated force and body stress can result in joint pain, muscle stiffness, and obesity. To prevent these physical dangers, provide time for your employees when they can relax and unwind. Designing a more active workplace operation is also a good way to preventing these musculoskeletal risks.
7. Start From Day One
Promoting a safe workplace culture should start from the company’s first opening. By imposing strict safety protocols right away since day one, you are sending a message to your employees that you care and value them.
You are showing them that company safety is a serious issue and must be practiced, which can lead to emulation and habit. However, keeping this safe workplace culture alive is not a one-time thing. It needs to be maintained through seminars, check-ups, assessments, and drills.
8. Communicate and Be Open
Employers and employees should always maintain an open communication line when it comes to workplace safety. As the people are actually in the field, employees understand better the necessary improvements that the company should invest in when it comes to safety.
Holding a weekly or monthly meeting to discuss possible and underlying risks, better protocols, and seminars should be conducted to make sure that your employees are heard and empowered. You may even hire a personal injury lawyer from North York, to provide legal advice to employees in times of crisis.
Prioritizing workplace safety reduces injury costs and enhances efficiency. However, a safe workplace looks different for every job. With various risk factors involved, one solution may not work for the other but there is a general way to handle these safety issues. So, as long as you follow these tips, you’re already only your way towards promoting a safer and better workplace environment for your employees.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.