As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to provide your employees with a safe working environment. It doesn’t matter if you have two employees or two hundred, health and safety should always be a top priority. Without it, your employees could be at risk of serious injury or even death. There’s no denying following health and safety protocols can be time-consuming and sometimes dull. It can be easy to overlook them and let things slide when you’re focussed on other business related tasks. But making an effort to complete them to a high standard can protect both your employees and your business. So if you think your business could do better when it comes to health and safety, follow these expert tips.
Carry out regular inspections
Regular inspections of your workplace can help you pinpoint potential issues before they become a major concern. Get into the habit of carrying out these inspections at least once a week. If you aren’t able to do this yourself, assign a trustworthy employee to do the task for you. They can then feedback their findings to you. The inspection should involve testing all of your equipment and safety devices. This should include all smoke alarms, lights and computers. You should also make sure all walk ways are clear and that nothing is blocking any of your exits. Keep a record of these inspections each week to help you highlight issues quickly and easily.
Provide training to your employees
Each of your employees should be given frequent training, particularly if they work in a high-risk environment. Training can be given in the form of demonstrations, information packs, and presentations. The training should include instructions on how to use pieces of equipment correctly and potential hazards to look out for. It should also outline your emergency procedure if an accident does occur.
Sufficient training is worthwhile because it lowers the risk of workplace accidents and injuries. These can range from repetitive strains to head injuries caused by falling objects. As you are reducing the risk of these incidents, you’re also less likely to face personal injury claims against your company. So while it can be inconvenient at times, always provide as much training as possible to your staff.
Investigate previous injuries
It’s likely that either you or one of your employees has experienced a minor injury within your workplace. Even though it might not have been severe, take the time to investigate the incident thoroughly. This can help you determine the cause and what you can do to avoid it happening again in future.
During your investigation, remember to talk to your employees and ask for their opinions. They might have suggestions that could help to improve safety within your work environment. You may also discover that the cause of the injury was due to a lack of training in a particular area. This can also help you take steps to protecting your staff more efficiently.
While you won’t be able to avoid every hazard within your workplace, these improvements can lower the risk considerably. So whether you work in an office or a warehouse, make health and safety a primary concern for all.