Do you own a small business? If yes then workplace security is one of your important considerations. You don’t want your employees to suffer from any work-related injuries. Also, you don’t want them to catch any illnesses whilst they are in the office. Because at the end of the day, an unsafe workplace can cause your loss with things like missed deadlines, staffing issues, increased compensation costs for workers, and so on.
According to the Department of Labor of the United States, more than 2.8 million workplace injuries, as well as illnesses, were reported in a single year. The only relief was that they were non-fatal! As a business owner, your worst nightmare would be low productivity and profitability all because of an unsafe work environment. Recently, I saw a report on a channel with one of my Spectrum TV packages, which stated that incidents result in 33% time away from work. That makes around eight workdays on average!
Therefore, whether you work in a retail space, office, or in the field, ensure the following 8 safety tips for your workplace. Take notes!
Avoid Business Interruptions with These 8 Workplace Safety Tips
- Establish Safety Procedures for Equipment.
- Improve Ergonomics of Your Workplace.
- Maintain Your Workplace.
- Train Your Employees.
- Make Everyone Wear Protective Gear.
- Vehicle Safety Should Be a Priority.
Establish Safety Procedures for Equipment
There should be pre-defined safety guidelines to operate equipment and machinery. These directions should be straightforward, clear, and well understood by the employees. Misusing equipment can lead to injuries. Therefore, ensure that the concerned individuals follow the instructions. Take the instance of a simple ladder. If the job were to clean up the ceiling using a short ladder wouldn’t be suitable.
Other types of machinery such as heavy machines and forklifts require a particular kind of training. Some even need legal certifications to be operated. Make sure only qualified individuals handle such equipment. An effective approach will be having a routine safety checklist and having scheduled maintenance sessions.
Improve Ergonomics of Your Workplace
Some of the most common causes of workplace injuries are bad postures, lifting heavy stuff, and sometimes, overreacting. Improving ergonomics to minimize such hazards. Enlighten your employees about proper techniques and provide the right resources and tools to help them do their job safely.
- Ensure the provision of mechanical aids such as wheelbarrows and hand trucks to transport the heavy stuff.
- Having accessible shelves in order to minimize the strain.
- Consider height-adjustable furniture in order to improve posture and reduce fatigue.
Maintain Your Workplace
Schedule routine maintenance of the property to keep the environment safe. Also, ensure proper ventilation of your building.
- If there are combustible or toxic materials in a particular area, pay more attention to it in terms of cleanliness and ventilation.
- Consider having routine cleaning procedures for the high-moisture places and air ducts. For instance, in basements, you need to get rid of mold, dust, and bacteria. They can cause various illnesses.
- Eliminate any tripping hazards to keep the stairwells and hallways well lit.
- Keep the floors neat and repaired.
- The maintenance of the outside property is equally important. Keep the uneven parking lots and sidewalks repaired. Keep them clean and free of ice, snow, and debris.
- Trim overgrown shrubs and trees.
- Check regularly for water intrusion, structural damage, and cracks.
Train Your Employees
Keep your employees enlightened about the key processes and usage of power tools, cooking appliances, and machinery. This can avoid injuries and property damage. Also, educate them about emergency procedures. Keep the instructions simple and easily accessible. Also, offer refresher courses to keep the best practices intact. Offer leadership opportunities for the mentorship and training of your employees for safety procedures. This will motivate them.
Make Everyone Wear Protective Gear
Do you know that protective equipment and clothing can significantly prevent and reduce the severity of workplace injuries? Some instances of such gear are slip-resistant footwear, helmets, gloves, protective eyewear, and so on. You can take your pick of the protective gear according to the business operations.
Ensure Practicing Good Housekeeping
If the housekeeping is poor, the likelihood of illnesses, injuries, and fire hazards can increase immensely. Put an effort to maintain a clean, well-maintained, and organized workspace. Some instances of efficient housekeeping are wiping the slick areas and spill to reduce the chances of tripping hazards. Keep the emergency exits and walkways debris and clutter-free. trash should be readily disposed and combustible materials should be paid more attention.
Take Frequent Breaks
Encourage your employees to take regular breaks. Mental and physical fatigue increases if you go on working without a break. This leads to lower productivity and sometimes accidents. Short breaks are great to refresh and reset your body and mind. Take a walk to get your muscles moving and have good blood flow. Especially if you have a 9 to 5 job. Stay hydrated and have your meals in time to keep your energy levels high.
Vehicle Safety Should Be a Priority
Occupational fatalities related to transportation are common. It is imperative for all business owners to prioritize vehicle safety. Hire trained drivers to operate vehicles and maintain parking lots. Consider using geo-fencing devices to keep your company transportation in top shape.
Take it from me. I’m a small business owner myself. I maintain my company vehicles just like I maintain my Spectrum compatible modems to run smooth internet as well as transportation. When it comes to a successful workplace or business, everything counts!