It doesn't matter what industry you operate within – maintaining a safe workplace is crucial, both for the protection of your employees and your business.
That being said, many companies are falling short of their obligations to keep their workers safe and this is costing them greatly.
To ensure that you are providing a safe and secure environment for your employees and to make sure you don't end up on the wrong end of a liability case, adhere to the below workplace safety practices.
Keep the workplace clean
One of the simplest and most effective ways to maintain a safe workplace is by keeping it clean and tidy.
Slips and falls are one of the most common injuries in the workplace, yet they are easily prevented. Make sure that any spills are cleaned up immediately and take steps to reduce the amount of clutter lying around.
Ideally, you should also hire a professional cleaning company to come in at the end of the day and thoroughly clean your workplace.
Invest in PPE
PPE, personal protective equipment, is needed in many different industries, including manufacturing, engineering, and hospitality. Helping to keep your workers safe as they do their jobs, make sure that you invest in high-quality PPE as inferior apparel may put your team at risk.
Furthermore, if your employees feel that you are not putting their safety first, they are less likely to work hard for you and your productivity levels may be affected.
Take out insurance
To give yourself and your employees peace of mind, you must make sure that you take out the necessary insurance policies for your business. This may include small business insurance, employer's liability insurance, contractors insurance, commercial property insurance, and professional indemnity.
Depending on the type of business that you own, you may want to take out all of the above or you may choose only the types of business insurance that you are legally required to have.
To avoid finding yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit, it can also be a good idea to hire a premises liability attorney.
Provide regular training
All employees should be properly trained, both in terms of how they are expected to do their jobs and concerning health and safety protocols.
New members of staff should always be given training, as well as anyone who changes positions within the company.
If you have remote employees, then don't forget that they need training as well, even though they work from home.
Have a safety strategy
Every business should have a safety strategy or plan in place, so that everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency.
A safety strategy can also be highly effective at reducing accidents in the workplace, which can help to save you money and keep your employees safe.
As part of your safety strategy, it can be a good idea to look into ways to reduce employee absences, both those caused by physical incidents and mental health issues.
Seek employee feedback
It can be a good idea to ask your employees for feedback on your current workplace safety practices. This will enable you to see where you can make improvements, but if you don't think that your team will be very forthcoming with ideas, you could offer an anonymous employee suggestion box.
