Workplace safety is a vital consideration every business owner should make, as it not only protects your working staff from work-related illnesses but also improves your bottom line. Working in an unsafe environment exposes you and your workers to various health risks, causes work delays, attracts high compensation costs and legal fees, and negatively impacts your business productivity. According to the numbers, over 30% of non-fatal workplace injuries led to time away from work and reduced productivity. So, have you implemented all the necessary workplace safety precautions? Here are some tips you could use.
Train Your Employees
If your business requires power tools and heavy machinery, you need to ensure that all your employees receive adequate training on operating any equipment safely. That said, always make sure that you have the instructions for those machines or equipment easily accessible to your workers or those responsible for handling them.
Provide Protective Gear
An employee has the right to a personal injury attorney regarding any work-related injury, especially out of negligence on your part. That is why you also need to make every essential protective equipment available for your workers. For example, gloves, helmets, slip-resistant shoes, protective goggles, etc., can all protect your workers from different types of accidents, so keep this in mind. That is especially important if they work with heavy machinery, sharp tools, or under extreme weather conditions. It is not enough to make these protective gear available; you need to ensure that your workers have them on at all times during work.
Publish All Safety Rules
One of the best ways to hold your workers accountable for their compliance (or otherwise) with all safety rules is to ensure that every worker knows what these rules are. The best way to do this is to post or publish the rules at various accessible areas of your workplace, from dining to washrooms. Additionally, always make sure that you update the rules often as necessary and keep them written or typed clearly to make them readable.
First Aid And Medical Training
Sometimes, even with your best efforts, some accidents may still occur, and the first respondents in such cases will be other workers on the scene. That said, training your workers on how to give basic first aid can be the difference between life and death. While you wait for a professional medic to arrive, it is crucial to have someone who can offer primary treatments on the premises. Making such lessons available for your workers may not be free, but it could save your business loads of money in the end.
A Plan To Deal With Emergencies
Hopefully, you may never have to deal with a safety emergency at your workplace, but you can be so sure. That is why it is always wise to plan and practice the best ways to handle such situations. Plan and prepare a safety drill annually to ensure everyone understands roles and responsibilities during an emergency.
Improve Workplace Ergonomics
Bad posture, lifting heavy objects, etc., may not sound serious to most people. But, they can also increase the risk of workplace injuries. It’s best to find ways to improve workplace ergonomics, as that will significantly reduce these hazards. That could range from something as simple as investing in suitable chairs, height-adjustable furniture, etc., to different types of mechanical aids. Furthermore, you can educate your workers about correct body posture when taking on some tasks.
Reduce Workplace Stress
Believe it or not, stress is one of the main contributors to various injuries in any working environment. The longer you make your employees work, the higher the risk of experiencing mental and physical fatigue. This in turn causes their productivity levels to drop significantly and make them more prone to accidents.
Always encourage your employees to take extended breaks to stretch and ease stress building up in their minds and bodies. That will also help increase blood flow and get the muscles moving. Those who work behind their computers should also take frequent short breaks. As a rule of thumb, you should always look away from your computer screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
Workplace safety is crucial for all business owners to prioritize, as workers are instrumental to business growth. Hopefully, you’ll leverage these tips for the best results.