Your employees are the beating heart of your business. Without them, you’re going to struggle to make a profit and to move your business forward. So, keeping them safe and protected whilst they work for you is not only essential but part of your legal obligations as an employer.
It’s easy to think that health and safety in the workplace consists of a first aid station and some illuminated fire escape signs, when in fact there’s a lot more to it than that. Protecting your employees and putting health and safety measures in place not only means that accidents are less likely to happen, but you’re less likely to come up against workers’ compensation claims or personal injury cases. If you need to speak to a PI lawyer, you’ll find a directory of US personal injury attorneys here, just click the link.
So, how can employers like you always ensure the safety of your employees is a priority? And how can you keep your business protected? Read on for some straightforward answers.
Practice drills and emergency situations
Everyone rolls their eyes when the fire alarm rings out, it’s frustrating and it takes employees away from their work. However, despite their feelings, regular fire and emergency drills should be practiced. These drills will help keep everyone safe and keep their knowledge of what to do in these scenarios fresh. So, in the event of a real emergency, everyone will know what to do and how to leave the building safely.
Encourage active communication
If you’re the kind of employer who rarely interacts with their staff due to other business commitments, then it’s something you might want to change. The more of an active role you take in the day-to-day running of your business, the more approachable and communicative your staff will become.
Actively encourage your staff to come to you with any health and safety concerns, if there’s something that could be done better, ask them to mention it. Is something not working correctly? Are the lights too low? Is the safety equipment ready to be updated? Encouraging communication and directness in the workplace can help save lives!
Promote a tidy workplace
It’s only a little coffee spill, no big deal, right? Well, that wet floor could result in someone slipping and breaking their leg. Leaving you with a worker’s compensation case to handle. By promoting a clean and tidy workplace it’s likely that you’ll reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls in your business.
If you’re struggling to get your message of a clean and tidy workplace through, consider an incentive to get your employees on side.
And finally, keep track of those accident forms
Any injuries, accidents, complaints and even close calls should be written down in your accident book. To keep safety as a top priority it’s proactive to return to these forms and keep yourself familiar with the hazards in your workplace. Only then can you find ways to effectively resolve them.
