It seems that workplace safety has never been more important, which a good thing, both for employers and employees, as well as end customers/clients. The trick to creating a safe working environment is taking numerous well-timed steps to ensure safety procedures are followed to the letter.
We list the top 8 procedures that will keep every workplace safe, regardless of the hazards present.
De-stressing the workforce
The World Health Organization publishes stress management guidelines since it perceives work-related stress an important factor for the mental health of employees. Everything from long work hours to a bossy superior can lead to stressful situations, so de-stressing your employees should be a priority.
An overall strategy for managing stress doesn’t exist in most companies but their company policy does include stress management at various levels. From employing a mediator to resolve disputes between colleagues to providing counseling for workers who develop symptoms of depression or anxiety, these are all precautions you can take to create a stress-free workplace.
Shorter but more frequent breaks
When operating heavy machinery or power tools, workers need to be 100% focused. Prolonged work hours won’t make them any more productive but will make them absent-minded and reckless. For this reason, you should encourage workers to take frequent breaks.
Often enough, they’ll just step outside the office to smoke a cig but this will be more than enough to clear their mind and help them stay attentive. It is no wonder that employers in creative industries build awesome break room s and lunges in the office, as they want to stimulate creativity in their employees.
Identifying and managing risks
There is more than one way a worker can get injured at work. However, it is highly unlikely that an office will get hurt by a falling object or a crane operator will suffer a paper cut. Namely, each job post comes with particular risks that need to be first identified, then fully understood, and finally managed in the safest way possible.
Precisely because of careful risk management, warehouses are equipped with wheelie bin spill kits and offices have wall-mounted first aid stations. Apart from listening to experts’ advice, conscientious employees are willing to hear what their workers have to say about the most prevalent risks at their respective workstations.
A sober workforce
We’ve mentioned at the beginning that stress is a risk factor but it shouldn’t serve as an excuse for irresponsible behavior on the employees’ part. Heavy drinking and substance have no room in a modern work environment.
Namely, these are risk factors you cannot take precautions against, so you must introduce a strict disciple in which substance has zero-tolerance. Intoxicated workers don’t only endanger themselves but their coworkers as well.
Ergonomics matter
Although the science of ergonomics became popular only in recent decades, having comfortable equipment and tools to work with has been around for centuries. A typical office worker has to sit 8 hours a day, which is too long because we humans weren’t designed for a sedentary lifestyle.
One way you can improve office ergonomics is to custom-make all the furniture inside. A carpenter would come over to take precise measurements to design and build desks and chairs that would fit ever employees perfectly.
Furthermore, details such as palm rests for keyboards and anti-fatigue mats for factors floors workers who stand all day will significantly workplace satiation and safety.
In case of an emergency
It might seem perfectly normal to immediately call the fire department if a fire breaks out on company premises. However, panicking can get the best of us, causing us to oversee the most logical course of action.
There is a reason why firefighters, the police, and the military hold frequent drills: so they can be ready in case of a real emergency. The principle applies to the workplace where workers should often practice and hold fire drills to be ready for a real-life emergency.
Apart from drills, you should hold instruction classes that would teach the staff where the fire extinguishers are located, how to reach the nearest emergency exit, which numbers to dial in case of emergency, etc. These forums would be held by industry experts and employees would get a chance to ask questions about safety-related issues.
Offering incentives to employees
If you thought money is all that drives the people who work for you, you were wrong. A safe work environment is also high up on that list but it’s not a natural motivator like dollar bills. However, a slight push in the right direction through incentives and workers will be competing amongst each other who can follow safety procedures better.
For example, you can ask workers to report safety hazards to their superiors and get a day off as a reward. Also, departments that go weeks, months, and (hopefully) years without work-related accidents, can expect a little bonus at the end of the year.
Communication (life)lines
Finally, the communications channels you have in place should be open non-stop. From Viber groups to company memos, the communication must go from senior management to blue-collar workers and vice versa.
There are many more precautions you need to take if you wish your workforce to feel completely safe. Workplace safety is a long-time effort to design safety procedures and then make sure they are put into practice by all employees.
Australian based blogger with an extensive portfolio specialized in Manufacturing and Logistics. He can usually be found with an espresso in one hand and a book in the other. When not working, he's spending time with his family and friends or putting pen to paper for his own personal pursuits.
