Keeping Your Workplace Safe

Job safety should be one of your biggest concerns as a manager or a business owner. If your employees are hurt while working, your business will have to cover their medical costs and may be responsible for much more if they are unable to return to work. This is especially true if they were injured due to employees following improper safety habits or if employees have never been trained on safety procedures. Your business may be fined if you fail to follow the OH&S guidelines set forth by Safe Work Australia. Here are some things you can do to keep your employees safe.

Training

First and foremost, make certain everyone is trained on all relevant safety procedures. All new employees should go through safety training when they are hired, even if they have worked in a similar environment or say that they already understand the safety procedures. Everyone needs to go over all of the regulations and policies, no matter how much experience he or she has in the industry or what level he or she is. New management and supervisors should not be exempt.

Post Reminders

Safety posters may not be the most pleasing office and break room décor, but they do serve a purpose. Employees will usually read them when they are posted, and while they might not look at them closely, on a subconscious level seeing the posters everyday will help reinforce the safety procedures printed on them. You can change the safety posters regularly so that employees will read over the newly-posted ones.

Provide Safety Materials

All employees should have a copy of your safety procedures in their employee handbook and if you create new procedures or change any existing ones, you need to give them a new physical copy with those changes. You may also want to provide each employee with a small wallet-sized Take 5 safety booklet. These booklets are designed to help your employees reduce the number of accidents caused on the job site. They remind employees to maintain an awareness of their surroundings and identify any hazards employees may encounter during daily work.

Use Checklists

Provide your employees with safety checklists for starting certain tasks or operating large construction vehicles. These prestart checklists will make certain that employees remember to go through every safety check before they start the vehicle. These checklists also help with monthly safety checks and inspections. By finding these safety issues early and doing preventative maintenance or replacement, you can both protect your employees from harm and save money by repairing or replacing before something breaks and causes damage.

Refreshment Training

Finally, schedule regular refreshment training sessions to make certain your employees know how to recognise dangerous situations and know how to respond to them. These refreshment training sessions also serve as a venue to introduce new safety regulations or discuss regulations that have been recently modified. If a safety-related incident has recently occurred in the workplace, especially if an employee was injured, it’s a good idea to remind everyone of how such an incident could have been prevented.