Three Ways To Help Keep Workplaces Safe

Workplace accidents can have far-reaching effects for both the employee and the employer. Employers may have to deal with workers’ compensation claims or face being sued, whereas employees may feel resentment about their work or endure permanent disabilities. Nobody wants to work in an unsafe environment.

Workplace safety doesn’t only apply to plants or warehouses — every workplace has the potential for unnecessary injuries. Here are some basics that all employers can apply to help keep their team safe.

1. Have Proper Training and Discussion

To make sure everyone is on the same page about how to stay safe at work, have a system in place to confirm everybody has been trained about safety in the workplace. This may range from proper instructions regarding heavy machinery to ensuring team members know not to overload a power strip. Put a system in place to track whether every team member has been properly trained for safety protocols.

Aside from training, place reminders such as office safety posters in places where team members will see them often. You should also send out occasional safety training refreshers in company newsletters.

2. Keep Your Materials and Tools in Good Repair

Since many different workplaces may have a ladder on hand, ladders are a good example of something that should be kept in good repair. This concept applies to all tools your team may use.

Some people might keep a broken ladder for years at home and not think twice about it. This doesn’t apply in the workplace — no employee should have to worry about whether they should risk their safety for their job. A rickety ladder is an injury waiting to happen.

Aside from having the decency to ensure employee safety, it’s easy to see how purchasing a new $250 ladder is bound to be worth the expense when you consider the inefficiencies of finding somebody to take their place for the day, the time for filling out paperwork, handling workers’ compensation claims and so forth. You can’t afford to cut corners when it comes to employee safety.

3. Stay Clean and Organized

Having a clean and organized office is not only safer, it’s also easier to work in. Things like oil or acid spills are obviously safety hazards, but even something as simple as sitting water from mopping or a spilled beverage can present a safety risk in the workplace.

Clutter can be dangerous as well — whether it’s an overflowing storage room where piles of boxes can fall on an employee or obstructed pathways where people might trip, it’s worth taking the time to make sure everything is tidy.

Even keeping the restroom clean is an important way to keep your team safe — not all safety risks involve some kind of blunt force trauma.

Show your team you respect them by keeping a clean and safe workspace. Aside from knowing you’re doing the best you can to care for your team, you’ll also help maintain cost-effectiveness and production efficiency. Team members can care when their employers or managers care about them, and that goes a long way for employee satisfaction.