The goal of every business is to make a profit either by selling products which people can buy or by offering services people can patronize. To achieve this, businesses have to rely on workers. If workers will be able to operate at their optimum capacity, they have to be well taken care of and their safety should be of utmost importance. There is no gainsaying that the joy of labour is the beginning of higher productivity. Good working conditions are a combination of compensation for work, non-financial incentives, and workplace safety for workers.
There are safety tips that businesses have to consider in order to ensure that their staff’s health is not put at risk. Let us run through some of them.
Adequate training
Workers should be trained well. It is very important for workers, especially those that work with machines or hazardous chemicals, to have first-hand training before they get to work. All professions have their own hazards, but some professions have greater hazards. For those in the health sector like the medical profession, they could be opposed to dangerous viruses. For instance, when the Ebola virus broke out in some parts of Africa, some medical professionals lost their lives owing to poor handling of the infected persons. This is not limited to Ebola virus alone. There are lots of highly contagious viruses they are faced with, in the discharge of their sacred duties. In the engineering field, especially oil and gas, there are volatile chemicals that workers are exposed to, and if not well trained on how to handle them, it could prove fatal to them.
Use of appropriate tools and equipment
Nothing ensures safety like the right tools and safety equipment for the task. Getting the right tool for your workers will eliminate unnecessary lawsuits. According to the EHS management experts at basicsafe.us, having the right tools ensures accountability and the safety of your workers. The right management software tools will not only guarantee the safety of your workers, it will also help them carry out their jobs faster and more efficiently. There is the right tool to address a task and when a right peg is used in the right hole, it minimizes hazards and injuries. Companies should quit the idea of improvisation owing to the dearth of appropriate tools. The health of workers is not something to be trifled with. Hence, companies should invest handsomely on such tools. For instance, Medical workers in hospitals should under no circumstance be without gloves as this constitutes a risk to their own lives.
Reward system
Aside from training the workers, there is also the reward system for those workers who adhere to the tenets of the training received. Companies and businesses can introduce a reward system for workers that adhere strictly to the training received on safety practices in the workspace environment. This would go a long way in encouraging workers to practice the safety tips they have been taught.
No one knows it all. Businesses that are serious about the healthy welfare of their workers in the workspace should partner with health and safety professionals. These professionals would help in shedding light on how workers can be safe in the discharge of their duties. Also consider having a health and safety management system as well.
Installations of signs and labels
In order to keep workers safe, signs and labels can be deployed to drive home the message. This will serve as a constant reminder for the workers while they discharge their daily duties. There are signs that show the simplest of stuff which, if not handled well, could be hazardous and fatal. A wet floor can cause a slip which could cause severe back pain, if not paralysis.
Hence, a simple sign to show a wet floor would go a long way in ensuring that workers bear this in mind and tread with caution in such an environment. A naked wire that is not addressed could cause electrocution and instant death. Hence, signs and labels are important if workplace safety is to be achieved.
Retraining of workers
Day by day, there are better ways of doing things than how it was done in the past. Workers should not be oblivious of the need to keep abreast of new happenings in their field of work. Thus, the need for training and retraining cannot be overemphasized. Businesses should cultivate the habit of periodic training and re-training for their staff on work, and safety tips. When it borders on the safety and welfare of workers, you cannot talk about it enough. Once lost, life is not something that can be recovered.
Speaking out
Workers should also be encouraged to speak out once a potential hazard is noticed. When it comes to safety in the workplace, management and perseverance should not be an option. When a potential risk is noticed, the appropriate authority should be informed and the right step should be taken to address it immediately. When it comes to safety, there should be no procrastination.
Employing competent hands
Companies should not cut corners when it comes to hiring workers. Competence should be the guiding principle. Ensure workers that operate equipment, especially ones that could be injurious to health if used, are competent at the task.
Businesses want to make money and workers are eager to put in a good shift to earn their pay cheque. This can only be achieved if the atmosphere is conducive and workspace is safe.