OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) reported over 2800 work-related fatalities in 2019, and around 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illness. If numbers like this don’t convince you that workplace safety is paramount, then nothing can. Workplace accidents are disruptive for both employers and employees because they impact productivity, morale, and trigger unnecessary costs.
For organizations, it’s better to plan than to respond to issues. Neglecting workplace safety can trigger legal and financial consequences. The best way to protect the company and employees is to create a culture of safety that prevents accidents and responds quickly to hazards.
So, what can companies do in 2020 to enhance workplace safety and keep employees out of danger?
Educate staff
Ensure your staff understands what they need to do to stay safe. When hiring new employees, train them to identify safety hazards, and protect themselves. If you cannot organize in-house sessions, you can use the Environmental Health and Safety online programs to train your employees.
If your workers need to wear protective gear, get the precise measurements, the clothes and shoes to fit. This is important not only for their safety but also for a flawless performance. Don’t use their regular clothing sizes to make their uniforms because they vary from a brand to another. When you change the gear manufacturer, ask their representatives to get other measurements.
Identify any safety vulnerabilities
Assign one of the employees with the task to check the workplace with the eyes of a risk inspector and write down any vulnerability they identify. Are there any potential hazards for your employees? Can you do something to eliminate them? What strategies can you adopt to reduce workplace risk? Only because you cannot see them, it doesn’t mean hazards are not around, so you must evaluate the workplace and cut them out as soon as possible. If one of your employees experiences a workplace accident, they can hire a Texas personal injury lawyer, and they can sue your company.
Implement safety control measures
After you identify the dangers lurking in your workplace, implement control measures to reduce the likelihood of accidents. You can adopt different rules for different hazards and levels of effectiveness.
To make sure you have the right measures in place, review the safety policies annually. Check if they are relevant for the risks your workers are facing at present. When you relocate or add new operations, ask your health and security team to update the policies to meet the latest needs. Each time you change the safety policies, send emails to inform the employees, and organize training sessions to teach them how to protect themselves.
Maintain a cleanliness and wellness routine
There are lower chances for accidents in a clean and well-maintained place. Good housekeeping boosts workplace safety, so it should be mandatory. Many times, poor maintenance and cleanliness caused fatal accidents and safety hazards. To ensure there are no risks, create adequate egress routes free of debris and establish a wellness routine, all employees should follow.
Workplace safety should be your top priority because your employees determine your organization’s success.
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