Keeping Your Workplace and Employees Safe
National Safety Month is a good time for some small businesses to review their systems and best practices for keeping employees and customers safe.
The annual June observance was started more than 25 years ago by the National Safety Council to highlight the importance of preventing injuries and death not just in the workplace but at home and in the community.
“Research shows that over 99 percent of all accidents are preventable,” says the National Safety Council (NSC).
While workplace injuries occur for several reasons, some situations are avoidable, such as a fall caused by something blocking a pathway, the group says.
If you’re assessing how to make your small business a safer workplace (and visit), here are a few suggestions to consider.
Look for outdated information/approaches. This could mean safety-related information that is no longer accurate or relevant, or outdated in its tone or terminology.
Physical, staffing, and operational changes at your business, such as new types of products or a changed work environment, could also prompt updates to safety policies, materials, and approaches, including updating labels and signage.
If you do find that updates are needed, make sure employees are informed immediately that changes are made to safety standards and protocols, and be sure the newest materials and practices are part of your new staff training.
“Employees that are properly trained work safer and smarter, therefore making their workplace safer,” the NSC notes on its website.
Proper training is even more crucial for employees who work in high-risk areas and staff whose jobs put them in -- and responsible for -- public areas, such as where customers shop or travel.
In addition to protecting against illnesses, keeping physical spaces clean is a key factor in preventing injuries in the workplace, according to the NSC.
“A clean business reduces the risk of injury for all who walk through the door,” the organization explains. “Cluttered spaces increase the risk of trips and falls, which are some of the most common workplace injuries.”
Stay on drills schedules. Be sure to keep everyone on the regular practice schedule for drills as outlined in your emergency preparedness plan.
Mock walk-throughs are a key part of staying safe at the workplace, whether from fire, hurricane, blizzard, tornado, power outage, or any other high-injury risk event that your workplace could be threatened by due to your location, type of business, or industry -- natural or human-made.
Take these drills on your calendar seriously, and require participation by all staff -- practice instills preparedness for a crisis situation.
Do system and communications check-ups. Regularly check safety systems and alerts you’re counting on to warn you in the event of a threat, including technology-supporting communications, for functionality and performance.
Running alarms, flood detectors, and security systems at optimum productivity requires reliable connectivity on equipment and devices, including having enough internet speed and bandwidth to support safety protocols and standards.
Be Proactive. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises businesses to take a proactive approach to safety and health in the workplace.
“The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for workers, their families, and employers,” says the agency, part of the U.S. Department of Labor.