Handy Ideas That Will Make A Workplace Safer For Your Employees

By now you’ve probably attended many safety training and set in place many safety guidelines in your business.

But, as long as the employees are not adhering to these guidelines then they aren’t doing any good. And, they ought to. A safe workplace is one where all the employees from all the departments and levels of the organizations are aware and adhere to the safety guidelines instituted. In fact, a good safety program encourages all the employees to report unsafe behaviors and situations as soon as they observe them.

We’ve prepared eight of the most popular tips that you should use to ensure that the workplace is safer and the employees are well engaged in making safety a shared responsibility for all. 

Beware of the Surroundings

Whether it is a construction site with heavy machinery, a factory with all the conveyor belts or even falling items in an office somewhere in downtown Kentucky, every job comes with some inherent dangers. To ensure safety, it is vital that everyone remains aware of their immediate surroundings in the workplace. In fact, the more aware you are of the surroundings the more likely you’re to be familiar with all the potential hazards. Knowing the potential hazards in your surrounding will keep you and other employees safer by avoiding dangerous situations.  

Have a Great Posture

The common saying goes “lift with your legs and never your back”. But having the correct posture is not just for those that lift things in the workplace. If you sit behind a desk every day, a good posture will keep neck pain and back problems at bay.

 But of course, if you lift things do so from the legs while keeping your back straight. Should the object be too heavy, don’t do more than you can. Get a mechanical aid to help or find a co-worker to help. A forklift or even a wheelbarrow will save your back. 

Have Breaks

The experts from OSHA advised this for a reason. It is vital employees have regular breaks as tired workers are more prone to accidents and other dangerous situations. Tired employees are less aware of their surroundings and the risk of injury significantly increases. So, have regular breaks to ensure you remain fresh and schedule more challenging tasks when most alert- after a break. 

No Shortcuts on Safety Procedures

The safety procedures put in place in every workplace exist to keep everyone safe. And if the workplace deals with heavy machinery they couldn’t be more important. Therefore, follow every instruction on the tools and machinery you use. 

Shortcuts are more likely to lead to injury and a few seconds of reading instructions are worth the time- they might save you from injury. And, should there be an injury while at work, legal experts at kentuckycourage.com advise you to consult a lawyer immediately to help you. The lawyers will guide you on how to navigate the process of determining the cause and seeking compensation. 

Be Up-to-Date with Safety Procedures

Has your company brought in new state-of-the-art machinery to increase production? As an employee and indeed everyone that interacts with the equipment it’s important you are aware of all the safety procedures of operating it. The employer is obligated to provide training that complies with occupational health and safety standards. In the United States, states like California have standards higher than the federal ones that need to be met with a reliable OSHA training program.

Emergency Exits Should be Clear

The front of emergency exit doors should always be clear. Nothing should sit there, not even for “just” 10 minutes. On paper, this sounds like a no-brainer but we’ve all seen the number of trolley carts, forklifts and ladders that sit in front of these exits sometimes even overnight. 

Also, pathways to all the equipment should remain clear in case of emergency or the equipment needs emergency powering down. 

Report Unsafe Situations

Be sure to report any unsafe conditions to the supervisor or any other relevant authority. This helps stop accidents from happening. You could be part of the solution and learn more about the situation. Legally, the employer and the supervisor are expected to make the workplace safer but they’ve to be aware of unsafe conditions to fulfill this obligation better. Be sure to report hazardous situations as soon as possible to keep yourself and other colleagues safe.

Correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Make sure to provide PPE for the employees to make it safer for them. It could be chemical suits or even earplugs but depending on the workplace, ensure that the correct PPEs are provided for the job. And, it is up to the employers to ensure the employees are well aware of the potential risks in their workplace and provide training to prevent accidents.

Creating and maintaining a safe work environment ought to be a priority for every organization. Be sure to institute these tips at your workplace to make it safer and more productive. Once this feat is accomplished, the people will have a safer environment to work in.