Safety in Business

#1 – Everyone is Responsible

Safety benefits everyone. Therefore everyone should play a part in developing and maintaining a safe work environment. Employers can provide and encourage safety programs and training, and employees can follow all the policies and procedures to further the idea of safety within their workplace.

#2 – Stay Alert, Be Aware

It is impossible to avoid a hazard if no one knows it is there. This is why it is important for everyone to be alert and aware in the workplace. Being aware means knowing where you are and what is going on around you. Being alert means having a clear head and being focused enough to put safety at the forefront of your mind. Being both alert and aware puts you on your guard against danger. Once the hazard is identified, it can be handled properly, minimizing the risk of injury or death.

#3 – Communicate With Others

Communication is used to convey many different types of messages within the workplace. It is necessary to establish roles and direction, warn against dangers, and avoid unsafe practices. Effective communication helps create not only a safer workplace but also a healthier one by eliminating unnecessary problems and promoting teamwork. Employers who spend time and energy creating open communication lines can quickly build trust between themselves and their employees. Employees tend to give higher quality work and stay with a company for longer when they know their employer trusts them.

#4 – Utilize Your Training

Safety training aims to equip employees with all the skills needed to complete their job and to do so safely. It is a tool that can help employees identify safety hazards and know how to address, avoid, or report them. It also helps them to understand policies, procedures, and safety expectations.

#5 – Always Wear PPE

It is important for employees to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) because it minimizes risk and exposure to hazards that can cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Employers should always provide PPE for their employees as their situations require.

Consider this example: An employee was working for a landscaping company. The employer was a sole proprietor, meaning he was not a professional landscaper. He took on odd jobs and hired people he knew, paying them in cash. This employer was hired by a homeowner to remove about 36 trees. He hired a friend, employee #1, to help him.

One day, the employer was cutting down one of the trees with a chainsaw. Employee #1 and his coworker, Employee #2, were holding a rope that was tied around the top of the tree. They were doing this to guide the tree as it fell. When the tree began to fall, Employee #2 ran out of the way of the tree. Employee #1, however, wasn’t quick enough. He was hit by the tree and received fatal head trauma injuries. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to the employer, neither employee had been provided with any type of personal protection equipment.

It is important to look at this example and consider what went wrong. What could have prevented Employee #1’s death? Employers have the responsibility to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety to their employees. Even if this employment was not considered “professional,” the responsibility remains. Had the employer provided PPE and training, Employee #1 would have had the skills and equipment to protect himself against that fatal blow.

#5 – Always Wear PPE

It is important for employees to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) because it minimizes risk and exposure to hazards that can cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Employers should always provide PPE for their employees as their situations require.

Consider this example: An employee was working for a landscaping company. The employer was a sole proprietor, meaning he was not a professional landscaper. He took on odd jobs and hired people he knew, paying them in cash. This employer was hired by a homeowner to remove about 36 trees. He hired a friend, employee #1, to help him.

One day, the employer was cutting down one of the trees with a chainsaw. Employee #1 and his coworker, Employee #2, were holding a rope that was tied around the top of the tree. They were doing this to guide the tree as it fell. When the tree began to fall, Employee #2 ran out of the way of the tree. Employee #1, however, wasn’t quick enough. He was hit by the tree and received fatal head trauma injuries. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to the employer, neither employee had been provided with any type of personal protection equipment.

It is important to look at this example and consider what went wrong. What could have prevented Employee #1’s death? Employers have the responsibility to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety to their employees. Even if this employment was not considered “professional,” the responsibility remains. Had the employer provided PPE and training, Employee #1 would have had the skills and equipment to protect himself against that fatal blow.

#6 – Use The Proper Tools

Using the right tools is imperative for the completion of any job. The proper tools allow employees to complete their job safely and efficiently. Each tool is precisely designed for a specific purpose. Because of this, if an employee is not using a tool for its designed purpose, it creates a safety risk in the workplace.

Using proper tools also means making sure your tools are well-maintained and up-to-date. Outdated tools and equipment can also create serious hazards within the workplace.

#7 – Keep Work Areas Clean

A clean workspace helps minimize injuries by preventing slips, trips, and falls. You can keep your workspace clean by wiping up spills, removing obstacles, securing any mats or rugs, covering cords, and keeping all areas well-lit. These are all vital steps for reducing injuries in the workplace. Depending on the work environment, any fall, even from floor level, can be fatal if the area is cluttered and messy. Bacteria also thrive in unsanitary work environments. Therefore, a clean workplace can also reduce the chances of employees getting sick.

#8 – Report Accidents

Employers and employees can learn from each accident that is reported. Workplace hazards can be more easily identified and corrected or eliminated when employees report them immediately. This can efficiently prevent similar incidents and injuries from happening multiple times.

#9 – Don’t Operate Tools or Machinery You Haven’t Been Trained For

Without safety training, an employee is at risk of losing an appendage or even their life depending on the tool or machine they use. Machinery accidents can result in severe injuries such as:

Crushed or broken bones

Severe lacerations

Major concussions

Death

Consider this example: An employee was hired as an electrician for a construction company building houses. This employee told them he had some experience installing electrical equipment, so his employer assumed he did not need any additional training. The employee, even though he did have some experience, was a little rusty. Later on, while changing out a light fixture, the employee touched some exposed energized wiring and was electrocuted. He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The employee, though he had a background in electrical work, was still untrained. It’s important for managers to assess all the possible risks a job presents before assigning employees to that job. Had this employee known the risks and procedures of his job, he could have taken the correct steps to protect himself.

#10 – Help Reduce Workplace Stress

Stress negatively affects employees as well as the company as a whole. Reducing stress can have a positive impact on the overall morale of the work environment. Both employers and employees can take steps in reducing work-related stress. Some of those steps include:

1. Encouraging healthy workplace habits like taking walks on lunch breaks and providing healthy snacks in the office.
2. Allow for flexible work hours if possible. There are many workplaces where quotas need to be met and because of that, it is a very fast-paced environment. Because of this, it may not be possible for everyone. If this is not possible, utilize the next step.
3. Ensure that your employees have a place where they can go on a break and alleviate stress in a fast-paced environment.
4. Encourage social activity within your team. Doing so will help to provide comfort within a work environment.
5. Recognize your employees’ contributions. Giving rewards to successful and determined employees will help motivate them to continue taking their tasks seriously.