Jeremy Kaplan
Safety in the workplace is one of the most important aspects of any business. While we’re not able to enclose employees in bubble wrap to prevent injuries, a business does have to ensure that its premises are safe, otherwise there could be ramifications. Some may assume that the nature of their business means they can be a little more laidback in relation to its safety concerns, but regardless of whether your business is office-based, or you use a warehouse for your operations, there can be danger lurking at every turn.
The following tips will provide some guidance as to how you can increase safety in the workplace efficiently and easily.
Make Safety Part of Staff Training. More often than not, you will need to offer new members of staff some training for the role they are undertaking. Training programs can be a great way of introducing the safety aspects of the office. Different businesses may need to offer different information. For example, those based in an office will need to be aware of leaving wires trailing and having hot beverages near computer equipment. Those who work on a building site will need to be informed of necessities such as a hard hat and high-visibility jackets. Whatever role your business undertakes, introducing health and safety talks as part of your training regime will save a lot of work later.
Use Signs Around the Workplace. It’s no secret that people learn in different ways. So, although you may get your point across to most new starters, there will be times when staff who have been with you longer will need to be reminded now and again. The perfect way to do this is to place signage on relevant areas that highlight safety procedures.
Issue Reminders to Repeat Offenders. Everyone’s been in the position of noticing the same old faces breaching safety regulations, and that can be frustrating. The only way to contend with this is to issue reminders to those flouting the rules. This doesn’t mean you have to cause a scene in front of others. Simply taking someone aside and pointing out the dangers of their actions will be enough to ignite some proactivity in the employee when it comes to health and safety.
Enlist a Safety Speaker. No matter how hard we try, there may be times when the message just isn’t hitting home. Similarly, some businesses may want to highlight just how tragic an accident in the workplace can be. Enlisting a safety speaker allows you to deliver a message like no training or signage ever could, depending on the speaker you use. While you may assume it’s best to book someone to reiterate health and safety guidelines, it can be more beneficial to host safety talks with a speaker who has experienced the ramifications of a workplace accident. Not only does this ensure that the message is heard, but it also allows your employees to connect with those who have been experienced an accident and hear first-hand just how serious it can be.
