We spend a considerable part of our day at work, so just like our home environment, it’s important to feel safe there.
Countless employees across a variety of industries have sustained injuries from falling down, tripping, carrying heavy objects, and spilling harmful substances whilst at work. This not only costs the company, but workplace accidents also have a huge impact on employees’ lives and possibly their futures.
Resource: Pexels
What is Workplace Safety?
The concept of workplace safety is often underestimated in its importance. Many businesses carry out safety checks and training simply to tick boxes and avoid penalties. However, workplace safety is far more nuanced and should feature as an essential part of employee development.
Physical safety
When we think of workplace safety, the mind immediately jumps to slips, trips, and falls. This is especially true for employees working in warehouses, factories, construction sites, and other high-risk environments. Ensuring the physical safety of staff is important as not only does an accident harm the individual, but it can also affect their family life and ability to return to work.
Providing proper training to staff on how to avoid the physical risks of the job is one way to reduce the likelihood of physical harm. Another is to put up sufficient signage as reminders to staff to take care when carrying out certain tasks or operating specific machinery.
Psychological safety
An often neglected part of workplace safety is the psychological effects a working environment can have on employees. Loud machinery, insufficient break times, lack of facilities, and cramped conditions can elevate employee stress levels. Stress can develop into physical symptoms, leading to sick leave and affecting employee retention.
Industry-specific risks
Employers should follow the correct protocol, in line with their industry regulations and national laws. Each industry has its own risks. Therefore, risk assessments should be carried out to identify possible hazards that a specific workforce may face.
The Costs of an Unsafe Working Environment
When an employee is injured in a workplace accident, the main goal is to get them the help they need to recover. The initial cost of such an accident is pain and possible ongoing treatment for the employee. However, the effects of an accident at work are more far-reaching than this.
An injured employee can no longer work, reducing their household’s income. If they have a family, this can have a detrimental impact on spending. Moreover, the employee may need ongoing care and treatment, requiring a family member to take time out to look after them or pay for additional assistance.
For a business, an unsafe working environment can lead to lawsuits and legal implications. A successful compensation claim can bankrupt a business and ruin a reputation. After a government inspection has deemed a workplace unsafe, the business owners may be fined for safety breaches. Therefore, it’s in your business’s best interest to stay on top of workplace safety regulations.
How Education Can Help With Risk Prevention
Implementing regular safety training can help employees and management spot the signs of a potential hazard before an accident takes place. Educating staff around safety protocols can reduce the incidence of injuries and help employees feel more prepared should an accident occur.
What Should Workplace Safety Education Include?
It’s one thing to implement workplace safety education, but it’s another to carry it out properly. Safety training shouldn’t be a one-time exercise. Effective education is an ongoing practise.
Onboarding safety training
Alarm bells should ring if you start a job and on-site safety training doesn’t feature as your onboarding procedure. Introducing new employees to your company’s specific safety protocols is essential for their safety and the safety of their colleagues.
Resource: YouTube
Refresher courses and updates
However, after settling into a new role, the safety training shouldn’t stop there. Refresher courses for all staff are essential in reminding employees about how to avoid risks and what to do should an accident happen. As employees take on new responsibilities, gain promotions, or move departments, their safety training should develop with their role.
The same goes when new machinery is introduced. All staff, even remotely involved in operating a new piece of machinery, need to be fully aware of how to work it and where its safety shut-off mechanisms are located.
Emergency preparedness
Sometimes the safety issue is an outside situation that affects your employees but is not within your company’s remit. Nearby fires, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks are examples of such situations that require a certain level of emergency preparedness.
If your company is unsure of what to do in these emergency situations, seek out government advice. This can help you put a plan of action together to ensure the safety of your staff when an unpreventable incident takes place.
With all aspects of workplace safety, dedicating a team or manager to oversee the implementation of protocols and continuous education is essential. This reassures employees that their safety is considered highly important and that safety measures are maintained and updated across the business.
