Even though we often think of successful businesses as the ones that make the most profits, the best companies are the ones that send employees home at the end of the day safe and healthy.
That’s always the most important thing, even more than making money. Regardless of the industry or the type of workplace, every business should have a health and safety checklist that it uses to help ensure the well-being of employee's day after day. In that spirit, we wanted to share a list of the best health and safety tips that can be applied to every workplace.
Be Aware
The best advice that employees can receive, or employers can pass along is to be aware of your surroundings. It’s critical that workers are aware of the potential safety hazards around them and prepared for any potentially dangerous situations. It’s not always possible to prevent certain situations, but being aware and prepared can help limit the negative consequences. It’s all about being prepared for safety hazards and then remaining vigilant while working in case something goes wrong.
Have the Right Gear
Safety preparedness only goes so far if employees don’t have the right safety gear. This is where employers must do their part because they are responsible for providing workers with the proper personal protective equipment. Every individual job and every individual task require different safety gear based on the potential safety hazards. Therefore, employees need to be provided with proper gear for their job with workers being responsible for using safety equipment properly.
Take Regular Breaks
Obviously, some jobs are more strenuous and physically taxing than others, but all workers need to make sure they take regular breaks during the workday. This is even more important for workers who perform repetitive movements or remain sedentary for long periods. Regular breaks give workers a chance to rest and stretch while also refocusing. When employees get tired, they are more likely to make both mental and physical mistakes that can lead to accidents, so it’s easier to prevent safety mishaps when employees are well-rested and given regular breaks.
Observe and Report
Safety is inherently a team effort that requires a lot of proactive work. This means employees need to look out for one another by reporting any safety issues they see. Maintaining a safe environment is all about staying ahead of the curve. Potential safety issues can often be spotted and corrected before they lead to an accident. But in order to do that, employees must be vigilant and willing to report concerns to a supervisor.
Emergency Preparedness
Practice always seems to make perfect when it comes to emergencies. While employers hope that there is never a need to respond to an emergency or evacuate the building, these situations should be practiced. Doing a dry run on a potential emergency situation will help workers be prepared and respond the right way if the real thing ever happens.
Always Communicate
It’s upsetting how many workplace accidents could have been avoided with better communication. There should always be clear channels of communication among everyone in the company when it comes to safety issues. Employees need to be told how to perform their jobs safely while supervisors need to be informed when an employee spots potential trouble. It’s amazing how many safety incidents can be prevented with good workplace communication.
Use a System That Works
The best thing any company can do to promote safety is to have an organized system in place. The safety management software from EHS Insight can take care of that. Our software provides a platform dedicated to workplace safety that monitors and manages every element of workplace safety so that accidents are reduced, and safety is managed more efficiently.
If you’re interested in a workplace safety system that works, give us a call and we can have our software installed and operating before you know it.
