Keep Your Workers Safer With These Easy Tips
It is your responsibility to keep your workers safer in a dangerous workplace. This is easier or harder, depending on the type of business you have. Of course, you will have legally required measures in place, but here are some ideas for safety improvements for any type of workplace.
Respond Quickly and Appropriately
How well and how quickly you respond to an incident makes a massive difference. It makes a difference to the employee who is injured or needs medical help. But it can also make a big difference to you as a liable party. For example, if you aren’t sure what to do when someone is seriously injured on a building site, you can get help from a construction accident lawyer. These can guide you through the necessary steps. And it helps find out who is really at fault.
Work on a Culture of Safety
To really make your business safe for your employees, you need to prioritize it well. First, consider safety reviews more often. Instead of an annual review, make it a monthly or weekly review. Additionally, ensure your employees are well aware of the dangers of doing something wrong in a workplace that is inherently dangerous, such as a construction site. Reviews and a proactive approach will help you identify safety hazard “hotspots” you can work on improving.
Keep Your Workers Safer with Symbols
The human mind doesn’t process words instantly. Instead, it works on a system of interpreting symbols. This is why there are universal health and safety symbols and signs used all over the world. They are used as they are above language, so everyone understands what they mean. Additionally, they are very cheap to buy. So place universal symbols such as “toxic hazard,” “risk of electric shock,” and even “no smoking” where they are needed at your place of business.
Inspect Everything on a Regular Basis
Regular inspections at a workplace are believed to reduce injury rates by at least 10%. Yet you cannot hope to improve safety at your company by simply sitting back with a hands-off approach and leaving it to someone else. Even if you hire a safety inspector, you must manage them too. Regular safety inspections are, therefore, essential. And when you have the time, schedule a meeting with your safety team to identify major areas of risk and what they can improve.
Encourage Mental Health Awareness
Of course, health and safety extend beyond tripping, ventilation, and smoking areas. Mental health is also essential. And it can play a key role in general overall safety. For example, a worker with an ongoing anxiety or depression issue could be a danger to those around them. Occupational therapists are common at work these days. And you can encourage workers to visit with them or see their superiors if they are experiencing any mental health problems.
Summary
You can take actionable steps to keep your workers safer at your business. You must respond quickly to incidents, use universal symbols for hazards, and consider employee mental health.