Maybe you’re having too many accidents. Maybe your record is squeaky clean, but you still feel like you could be doing more to protect your employees. Whatever your reasons for wanting a safer workplace, here are just four ways to make it happen.
1. Distribute the Right Gear
What are your employees wearing while on the job? If you’re running a construction site, it should involve harnesses, hard hats and steel-toed boots. If you own a lab, it should involve goggles and gloves. Protecting your employees starts with protecting their bodies from the hazards of the job, so don’t skimp on safety gear. If you need help understanding how to properly outfit your employees, look up OSHA guidelines.
2. Increase Your Training
This is especially important if you’re involved in industrial work. Don’t just teach your employees to prevent accidents; teach them how to act quickly and decisively when accidents occur. This can include everything from fall protection rescue to pole top rescue training. Even the safest, most conscientious workplaces should be prepared for worst case scenarios.
3. Improve Communication
Poor communication is a common cause of accidents. For example, an assembly line worker might realize that a machine has been jamming, but since they can’t get time with a supervisor, the machine continues to malfunction until it experiences a catastrophic failure. You can prevent this entire sequence of events by improving communication on your job site.
4. Be Serious About Safety
This is one of the most important aspects of improving workplace safety standards. You have to actually care about your projects and initiatives. If you’re just paying lip service to the idea, you won’t prioritize it and won’t devote the necessary resources to straightening it. You have to get serious about safety to make real changes.
These are just a few tips for a safer workplace. As you can see, there’s more to it than drafting policies and buying a few hard hats. You’ll need to be smart, thorough and detail-oriented if you’re serious about preventing accidents and protecting your employees from harm.