4 Tips for Keeping the Workplace Safe

Having safety guidelines for your business is not only important for keeping your employees safe, but it’s also vital for your business’s long-term success. However, even if your business has a comprehensive safety plan in place, it will not do your employees any good if they’re not aware of them or if they’re not invested in following the guidelines. Let’s look at four tips to keep your workplace safe.

Equipment Safety Procedures

If your business has any machinery, it’s important to have safety guidelines for operating machinery. If an employee misuses a piece of machinery or equipment it can lead to injury of that employee or others. For example, when using a ladder, make sure you use the right type and size for your project. Don’t substitute a short ladder if a taller one is needed.

A lot of machinery, like forklifts and heavy machines, require specific training and sometimes legal certification to operate. Restrict the use of this equipment only to those who are qualified. Consider implementing a daily safety checklist and scheduling routine maintenance to keep your equipment in good working condition.

Employee Training

Mishandling workplace equipment like cooking appliances, machinery and power tools can cause injuries and significant property damage. Help keep your workplace safe by educating your employees on key processes, equipment uses and emergency procedures.

Make instructions easily accessible and offer refresher courses to help keep workplace best practices top-of-mind. It is also valuable to have instructions available near the tool, to make it easy for employees to double check before use.

Wear Protective Gear

Protective clothing and equipment can prevent or reduce the severity of a workplace injury. Appropriate shoes, protective gloves, hardhats, protective eyewear, and ear plugs are just some of the many things that can help keep you safe. You might need these items if you work in extreme weather conditions or with heavy machinery or sharp objects.

For example, a landscaper might want protective eyewear to shield against flying debris, work gloves to protect against sharp thorns, safety earmuffs to avoid hearing damage, and steel toed boots to keep feet safe from heavy objects.

Improve Workplace Ergonomics

Lifting heavy objects, bad posture and overreaching are a few of the many causes of workplace injuries. That’s why it is important to find ways to improve ergonomics to help minimize these hazards.

To start, educate your employees on proper lifting techniques and provide them with assistive tools to help them complete their tasks safely. This can include mechanical aides like dollies to transport heavy objects, accessible shelves to minimize strain and height-adjustable furniture to reduce fatigue and improve posture.