Did you know that every seven seconds, Americans get hurt at their workplace?
Are you looking for workplace safety awareness tips? Not to worry workers and employers! In this guide, we will go over general safety rules in the workplace.
Want to learn more about workplace safety awareness tips? Keep reading to find out how to make your office or work space more safe and secure.
1. Train Your Employees
One way to ensure workplace safety is to make sure your staff gets trained. Provide appropriate training for the different roles at your company.
You can set up a safety training program. Run this program for new employees and give a refresher course as well.
Your team will know what’s expected of them at work. Make sure you update your training manual over the years. Provide these updates to your staff in the form of memos or emails.
Aim to host a safety training workshop a few times a year.
2. Make Sure Employees Take Breaks
When working long shifts, employees need to take a break. How long the break is will depend, but most workers have the right to a 20-minute break. Make sure your staff takes these.
Have your managers or supervisors track employee breaks. You may notice that some staff want to work through their break time. Don’t let staff do this because they could get tired and become careless.
An accident can occur when someone’s energy levels are low. Let your team know that you want them to take their scheduled breaks. Explain that your concern is about their safety.
3. Keep the Workplace Tidy
Have one of your team members go around each day to make sure everything’s clean. A tidy and uncluttered work environment is a lot safer. People won’t end up slipping on a spill or tripping on a clunky cord or box.
Ask your staff to keep their work stations clean. Make sure they put things back where they belong. Ask your cleaner to keep the corridors free of bulky items.
4. Use Clear Signage
Put up signs around your work about potential dangers. Put posters up for when people need to wear hard hats and high-vis jackets.
If your janitor mopped up the floors, ask them to put up a sign so people can be careful walking.
Don't forget to tape signs near machinery that outline the proper way to use them.
5. Talk About Safety With Employees
Consult your staff members about safety matters during meetings. Ask them to come to you or an appointed supervisor if they want to talk further.
You want your team to share any concerns they might have. They can reveal any issues they see at your workplace, and you can brainstorm together.
Your staff will feel like you have listened to them and heard their concerns. With this open line of communication, you can build trust and improve safety in the workplace.
6. Have a Specific Manager and Supervisor for Safety
Train managers to respond to worker’s reports of illnesses and accidents. Explain to them how to encourage employees to report any issues.
Your managers should understand workers' rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
7. Wear the Proper PPE
In light of the coronavirus, there has been a significant emphasis on PPE in the media. When necessary, make your team wear eye-wear, safety gloves, or full body protection.
Communicate with your team what they should be wearing and let them know if there are any updates.
8. Report Safety Breaches
Accidents can happen at most workplaces. Aim to report these incidences of injuries each time. Also, if you spot a risk, report it to the right person right away.
Your employees will need to know how to report illnesses, injuries, and hazards. Your safety manager can explain to your team how they can go about reporting anything.
Ask that your employees would report anything risky as well. Make sure they know who to report to and highlight the importance.
9. What Is Your Emergency Protocol?
Emergencies can arise without warnings like a fire or flood, for example. Get prepared for things that disrupt the safety of your customers and employees.
You’ll want to create an emergency protocol and teach your team. Make sure to check the Weather Channel to expect natural disasters. Stay up to date with your insurance.
Create an emergency management plan. Have your employees go through an Emergency Response and Evacuation Training.
Run a drill so people know where they can find emergency exits in your building. Prevent these exits from getting blocked.
10. Send out Safety Surveys
Send out a survey on a regular basis to your employees. Make sure you ask how employees feel about the management's commitment to safety.
Inquire about how they found the safety training. Do they know where to report concerns?
The insights you receive from your employees will give you direction on areas of concern. You can see what you need to focus on for your next safety training meeting. Learn more about safety training topics each year to improve your expertise while reducing risks.
11. Workplace Security
Other than obvious safety concerns, consider how to secure your workplace. You want to make sure people aren’t allowed inside without a security badge. Make sure none of your employees end up working alone.
Stay vigilant no matter where you work and protect your team.
Now You Have Workplace Safety Awareness Tips
We hope this guide on workplace safety was helpful for you and your business. Go over these workplace safety awareness tips with your team at your next meeting.
Keep browsing our other helpful resources about workplace safety awareness tips and bookmark our site so you can return. Visit the HR section of the Bootstrap Business Blog right now to learn more about office safety and security tips.
