Creating Healthy Safety Behaviors In The Workplace
As an employer, one of your primary concerns should be creating a safe and healthy workplace. Regardless of the role you play at your company, a major focus should be keeping your employees from getting hurt on the job. It is also important to hire employees who take safety in the workplace very seriously – as this could be the difference between needing to file a workers comp claim or not. Safety in the workplace is not just beneficial for everyone’s well-being...it’s good for business! Not only does it keep your employees safe from injury or harm, but it also can lower injury/illness costs, reduce absenteeism and turnover, increase productivity and quality, and raise your workforce morale. So, what can you do to help keep your costs down and your employees safe?
Stay Aware
Encourage employees to remain aware of their surroundings. While it’s easy to become desensitized to potentially hazardous areas in the workplace, (such as around large machinery,) it is crucial that workers remain diligent in regards to safety.
Good Posture Makes a Difference
Educate your employees on proper posture to keep back injuries from occurring. Whether your workplace primarily has office workers or manual laborers, good posture is vital! Investing in ergonomically designed furniture and safety equipment can be beneficial in avoiding situations where bad posture can lead to injury.
Avoid Unnecessary Falls
Ensure that your work place is a “slip-free zone.” Surprisingly, slips and falls are the leading cause of worker’s compensation claims and represent the primary cause of lost days from work, with a large majority of falls resulting from wet floor areas. Requiring that your employees wear non-slip shoes, keeping floors dry and properly marking wet floors with appropriate signage can keep unnecessary falls from occurring.
Clear Walkways
Eliminate clutter by keeping walkways and stairs clear of boxes, power cords or other debris. Keep all drawers closed when not being used and rethink furniture and equipment positioning if they are interrupting the natural flow of traffic. Make sure loose items are picked up promptly and not left strewn about.
Keep Emergency Exits Clear and Accessible
When an emergency occurs, you’ll need a quick and easy way to remove yourself and your employees from the building. Make sure that your employees know their exit routes. It’s also incredibly helpful to have easy access to all equipment shutoffs in case the need arises.
Wear Proper Safety Attire
If your employees aren’t wearing proper safety equipment for their job, they’ll likely get very hurt. While safety equipment for a desk job can be minimal or non-existent, for other jobs, equipment like earplugs, earmuffs, hardhats, safety goggles or gloves can be completely necessary for the safe completion of your worker’s jobs.
Schedule Monthly Safety Meetings
Safety education is a crucial step in keeping your workplace free of hazards and your employees healthy! Your employees depend on you to help keep them safe while on the job and having regularly scheduled safety meetings can ensure that your employees are following the safety rules you have set in place, but also allows them to bring up any concerns they have regarding their safety in your workplace.
Whether you are a manager or business owner, it’s important to encourage your employees take safety seriously. Providing incentives for those who show great workplace safety behaviors can help keep everyone on the same page. Implementing these simple protocols can truly help make a difference in your workplace!
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