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Published on Oct 26
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Halloween is a time of cool costumes, scary stories, and treats galore. Many workplaces encourage employees to dress up or have some fun celebrating the holiday at the office. But all that celebration and fun can lead to accidents in the workplace if you don’t follow some basic safety tips.
Costume precautions
Allowing employees to wear their favorite costumes to work on Halloween can present a fun team building opportunity, but you must set limits. If your workspace includes machinery or heavy equipment, loose or flowy costumes or jewelry should be avoided as these can easily get caught in machinery. Along those same lines, bulky costumes can get in the way of performing more tactile tasks efficiently and safely. No matter the costume, your employees should still wear work-appropriate footwear that meets the safety standards of your worksite. To be sure that everyone understands the rules and limitations, hold a quick meeting or issue a memo and post signage around the workplace to discuss what is and what is not appropriate.
Food safety
Carry-ins and potlucks are always a fun team building experience that can contribute warmth and personality to your workplace. Just make sure that you’re not also contributing food-borne illnesses to the party. Encourage employees to bring foods that are either room temperature stable, prepackaged, or provide crockpots or refrigerators to keep foods at appropriate temperatures.
Decorating mishaps
Practice safety when decorating for your Halloween party as well. Take the time to utilize appropriate ladder safety when hanging items from ceilings or doorways. Don’t let a workers’ compensation claim due to a slip on a ladder put a damper on your Halloween spirit.
When possible use tape or sticky tack to secure signs and posters instead of push pins. Push pins can easily dislodge and create a stabbing hazard for your employees.
Celebrate Halloween safely with Sheakley
Halloween should be a fun and exciting time in your workplace – not cause for a lax in safety protocols. Practicing costume, food, and ladder safety will help you make sure that your employees stay healthy and safe during your workplace festivities. In addition, it’s always a good idea to discourage Halloween tricks or pranks that could scare others or pose a safety hazard. 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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