5 Workplace Safety Tips That Your Employees Need To Know
Workplace safety isn’t just about having a safety manual in place and hosting an annual safety training course. The safest work environments occur when businesses embed safety throughout every level of their organization, and when employees are on board and actively working towards maintaining better safety practices. Here are five workplace safety tips that your employees need to know if they are going to help you keep your business safe.
1. They need to read your safety manual
It’s all well and good giving your employees access to your safety manual, but have they digested it? It is essential that employees read your safety manual to make themselves aware of the procedures and policies that are in place to keep them and others in the workplace safe. If you don’t have a safety manual in place, then you should create one in-house or seek help externally from businesses like Employer Advantage.
2.Shortcuts are not an option
Safety procedures can be lengthy, time-consuming, and repetitive, but they are there for a reason. Taking shortcuts within a safety procedure may save a small amount of time, but they are never worth the potential injury, loss, or damage that they can cause. Ensure that your employees are aware that you would rather they take their time conducting a safety procedure than cutting corners to get the job done more quickly.
3.Emergency exits must be kept clear
It may seem obvious, but small things such as keeping emergency exits clear can quickly become forgotten during the day-to-day running of your business. Although real-life emergencies are usually few and far between, it is crucial that employees remain aware of their emergency exits and take action if they see that a coworker has blocked a doorway.
4. Don’t stay silent - report unsafe conditions
Even if it isn’t their job to fix them, every employee should be invested in their workplace’s safety and should report unsafe working conditions to their supervisor so that they can fix them. As a supervisor, you are legally required to provide your employees with a safe working environment, but you cannot do this if you are unaware of any safety faults. Encourage your employees to work with you as your eyes and ears.
Your employees need to be on the lookout for obvious physical safety risks, like faulty machinery or trip hazards. However, they should also be on the lookout for long term dangers that can lead to illness. Buildings that have asbestos in them, for example, can do untold damage to your health. In years to come, employees that have been working in close proximity to asbestos may find themselves in need of cancer treatment and, in many cases, they could develop terminal cancer. Exposure to toxic chemicals over long periods can also cause serious health problems as we age. So, it’s important that your employees know how to spot these potential problems and identify them right away.
5. Breaks are there to be taken
Breaks were put in place for a reason. Tired employees are more likely to make mistakes and could put their own safety or that of their colleagues at risk. Even if they do not feel they need a break, enforce that your employees take the time allocated to them, and if they fail to do so, then explain to them why taking breaks is so important. Try to create an environment where your employees feel comfortable telling their supervisors if they are overtired and need a little more time to recuperate as this could help to avoid burnout and will improve employee morale.
So there you have it - five workplace safety tips that your employees need to know if they are going to help you to keep the workplace a safe environment for all.
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