Workers' Compensation

10 Workplace Safety Tips

Ella Baker
Reading time 5 Mins
Published on Sep 28
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To make sure your workers go home safely after every shift, you need more than just safety supplies. You need to develop and build a culture of safety within your organization and make safety a top priority.

The foundation of any successful workplace safety effort is one that encourages employees to take ownership of the safety program, by identifying unsafe behaviors or equipment and alerting management of areas for improvement. Employers must make similar commitments by investing in the best equipment, training and technology to make their workplaces as safe as possible. Below we have outlined five workplace safety tips that every employer should know and five workplace safety tips that every employee follow.

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Employer Tip #1: Make employees part of safety planning

Involving your employees in the safety planning process gives them ownership of workplace safety. Encourage your team to elect “safety leaders” who are responsible for safety ensuring that safety initiatives are implemented within each department. The more your employees understand the process and take action in its implementation, the more likely they are to follow safety protocols on a daily basis.

Employer Tip #2: Stay focused on likely issues

While it can be easy to get distracted by planning for large disasters or emergencies, these events are much less likely to occur than smaller safety violations. Keeping your attention on these more common issues can help your employees avoid more frequent injuries such as falls, slips, and trips.

Employer Tip #3: Safety training

Proper safety training is an essential component of any safety program and can have a positive impact on your bottom line by reducing insurance premiums, lowering workers’ compensation rates and ensures compliance with OSHA, DOT and EPA regulations. You should review your needs and determine what type of training would be best for your employees.

Employer Tip #4: Review employee performance

Keep a close eye on those employees who may be taking shortcuts or not performing their jobs correctly. Review and keep track of employee attendance, missed training or other issues and intervene when necessary. Don’t just focus on the negative. Highlight those who are performing their work properly or who have made a marked improvement and use them as an example for the other staff.

Employer Tip #5: Revisit safety annually

Start off each year with an inspection of your workplace or facility. This review can help you identify any areas of deficiency or out-of-date equipment that may cause an issue. You also get the opportunity to see if any policies or guidelines are out of date or need to be amended based on changing conditions in your workplace or industry.

Employee Tip #1: Mind your surroundings

This step requires knowing the particular hazards of your job or workplace. Once you’ve learned these risks, you are able to keep clear of potentially hazardous areas and situations.

Employee Tip #2: Take a break

Many workplace injuries and illnesses occur when a worker becomes tired, burned out, or aren’t alert to their surroundings. Taking regular breaks helps you to stay alert throughout the workday. Also, remember to schedule tasks that require the most concentration or that are most difficult for those times when you are most alert.

Employee Tip #3: Say something

If you see a potential safety hazard or risk in the workplace, inform your supervisor immediately. Companies are legally obligated to ensure that employees enjoy a safe working environment, but they can’t rectify a situation if they aren’t aware of it. Keep yourself and your coworkers safe by bringing these issues to management immediately.

Employee Tip #4: Use machinery correctly

Take the proper precautions when using tools, and never take shortcuts. Taking shortcuts is one of the leading causes of workplace injury. It’s a huge safety risk to use scaffolding as a ladder or one tool in place of another for a specific job. Using tools the right way greatly reduces the chance of workplace injury.

Employee Tip #5: Wear safety equipment

If you’re not wearing the correct safety equipment for a task, you may get injured. Depending on the job, equipment like earplugs, earmuffs, hard hats, safety goggles, gloves or a full-face mask greatly reduce the risk of workplace injury.

Safety and Sheakley

Keeping your workforce safe is priority one for your company. Sheakley can help you develop better policies and provide assistance with developing safety programs to help you achieve your safety goals. Our experts are here to keep your employees and your business safe. Sheakley’s Workforce Management Services experts provide complete safety resources for your company.

Get your free safety consultation today with an expert from Sheakley. Stay up-to-date on all things Sheakley by subscribing to our blog and following us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.

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