Common Workplace Hazards To Watch Out For

common workplace hazards watch for injury risks

Workplace safety is essential and ensures that all of your staff can work in a protected and safe environment. However, in order to develop correct procedures and organize training, you need to be aware of what risks are out there. 

Below, we are going to be discussing some of the most common hazards to watch out for so that you can make your workplace as safe as possible. 

Want to learn more about ensuring a safer workplace? Then keep on reading! 

Safety 

Safety hazards are things that can lead to severe injury or death. They are objects that can cause trips, falls, and spills and need to be kept in an organized manner. To identify them, you need to conduct a risk assessment of your entire workplace. Some examples you might come across include: 

- Untidy cables 
- Damaged carpet 
- Exposed wires 
- Confined spaces 
- Areas that can cause falls (working from heights) 

Keeping your work area clean and tidy is one of the most important ways to keep your staff safe and will help eliminate these hazards. 

Work Organization 

Work organization hazards can cause long and short-term stress as a result of poor workplace management and unfairness. They include things like lack of flexibility, work overload, violence, sexual harassment, and lack of respect. In order to minimize this from happening, it’s essential to have regular communication with your workers while practicing equality. 

Chemical 

Chemical hazards occur when staff are exposed to chemicals during their work. This could be as simple as cleaning or in a construction environment. To stop dangerous exposure from happening, you need to ensure that correct PPE gear is supplied and that equipment is maintained regularly. Signs and labels also need to be displayed appropriately. 

If you have been injured at work, you must contact the right professionals so that you can understand your rights. Check out Chaffin Luhana to get started. 

Ergonomic 

Ergonomic hazards are physical factors in the environment that can cause specific musculoskeletal injuries, usually because of repetitive movements. In order to identify them, you need to look at the design of your workplace and how your employees interact with it. Here are a few examples to consider: 

- Vibration 
- Awkward and poor posture 
- Frequent lifting 
- Forceful motions 
- Prolonged periods of sitting 

You can learn more about setting up an ergonomic office space here

Biological 

Biological hazards refer to illnesses and harmful diseases that may be contracted in the workplace. This could be via contaminated objects, other people, animals, and even plant life. This type of hazard is more common in specific work environments such as daycares, hospitals, and laboratories, but every business still needs to be wary of them. Proper precautions such as cleaning procedures and correct disposal methods need to be put in place to reduce their risk. 

Final Thoughts On Workplace Safety

By reading through the above and knowing what types of hazards are out there, you can start to develop policies and procedures to educate your employees and improve your workplace safety. The more vigilant you are, the better prepared you will be.

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