Did you know that there were almost 5,000 fatal workplace injuries in 2020? Additionally, there were thousands more non-fatal injuries that employees received while on the job. With figures like that, you can see how maintaining a safe work environment is essential.
Read on to learn more about employee safety and how you can make your workplace safer for them.
Why Should You Place An Emphasis On Employee Safety?
Protecting your staff is one way to improve employee relationships. People respond positively in an environment that has their well-being in mind. This can improve overall performance.
Reducing the chances of a workplace injury also makes good financial sense. It is estimated that U.S. employers pay around $1 billion a week covering workplace accidents. This doesn’t include other effects of employees getting injured, such as increased insurance premiums.
What Steps Can You Take To Improve Workplace Safety?
While each workplace is different with unique hazards employees face, there are several steps that any employer can take to promote safety at work. These steps include:
Employee Involvement
No boss is able to see everything, which means that getting your employees involved in safety at work. This could include having safety checks as part of their job or starting a safety committee made up of employees.
Hazard Identification and Control
Some hazards are obvious and others require investigation. One method is reviewing previous workplace injuries to identify areas that have been overlooked.
Proper Training
Every safe workplace has employees who are properly trained in safety procedures and managaing a workplace emergency. This should include general training for all new hires and specific training for different jobs.
Encourage Employees To Take Breaks
Workplace stress and exhaustion lead to injuries. Encouraging employees to use their vacation days and time off, as well as instituing workplace wellness initiatives helps to aleviate this.
A Clean Workplace
A properly cleaned workplace reduces the chances for injury. Following basic procedures like mopping up spills and properly stacking items could make a difference.
Proper Labels and Signage
Employees won’t know if something is a hazard if they don’t know what it is. This means that proper labeling and signage are a must, especially for liquids and lesser known substances.
Rewarding Employee Behavior
Recognizing employees for following safety protocols with just small rewards provides an additional incentive. This further illustrates the importance of safety at work.
Getting Additional Help For Workplace Safety
Even with a strong safety culture, you may want to consult outside help. There are companies that specilize in occupational health, which focuses on employee health and workplace safety. If you’re interested, you can get occupational health management here.
Are You Ready To Improve the Safety of Your Workplace?
Now that you know more about improving employee safety, what are you waiting for? It isn’t just the right thing to do, it can save you significant costs in the long run. There are many steps to take that can prevent injuries and even professionals you can reach out to.
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