When it comes to occupational safety and health (OSH), so much of it boils down to education.
Like any other part of a business, the more you know, the better off you’ll be. Naturally, that means starting out with the basics of OSH. Occupational safety and health practices may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how easily simple things can be forgotten or overlooked. Since you can never be too careful when it comes to workplace safety, we wanted to share some of the fundamental do’s and don’ts for businesses to follow.
Training is a critical part of OSH. Occupational safety and health should be covered during training sessions. You can’t just train workers to do their jobs productively. They also have to be trained on how to perform their job tasks safely. It’s also important to keep in mind that the more frequently employees are trained, the more likely they will be to work safely and prevent accidents. Safety training shouldn’t be seen as a mandatory practice. Instead, companies should make it a regular part of the job to help enhance workplace safety.
The worst thing you can do is be unaware of the potential safety hazards that exist in the workplace. Performing regular self-audits and inspections is critical to identify all potential hazards and how they might put employees at risk. After all, it’s impossible to do anything to mitigate a hazard if you don’t know about it. That’s why all potential hazards, big and small, need to be documented during inspections so that something can be done to protect workers.
It’s surprising and a little frustrating to think that so many workplace injuries could have been prevented if workers were simply wearing the proper safety equipment. This is another one of the basic principles of OSH. Occupational safety and health at a company can be enhanced significantly merely by stockpiling all of the necessary safety equipment so that there’s no excuse for employees ever working without it.
Safety hazards aren’t always physical. There can also be unseen safety hazards that threaten workplace safety. Managers and supervisors need to make sure that employees are in the right frame of mind to work. If someone is tired or overworked, they will be more prone to mistakes that can cause accidents. A significant percentage of accidents are caused by mental lapses, which is why this aspect of OSH shouldn’t be overlooked.
Employees should have a meaningful role in all aspects of OSH. Occupational safety and health protocols at a company should always be written with input from workers on the frontline. They will know as much as anyone about what works and what doesn’t work. Of course, multiple departments need to be consulted when creating safety standards. But employees can be invaluable when creating safety guidelines.
If nothing else, businesses always need to be in compliance with OSHA regulations. Fines for violating OSHA standards can be hefty. More importantly, they are also avoidable by simply being aware of regulatory standards and making sure your company meets them. That’s not to say it’ll be easy, but it’s something within your control.
The best thing any company can do to maintain high standards for workplace health and safety is to utilize a safety management system. For example, our safety solutions help to monitor everything from hazards to safety training to compliance issues. Everything safety-related is managed under the same umbrella, making it easier to stay organized and educated about all aspects of safety within the business.
If you’re ready to step up your safety game, get in touch with us and we can have our software up and running in no time.