Every employer’s responsibility is to create a safe workplace that encompasses the aspects that impact employees’ health and safety. Such aspects include the workplace culture, physical environment, healthy lifestyle, and support.
All of these aspects should be covered regardless of the industry. Even the seemingly safe office environment still has hazards employers are unaware of until an employee’s health and safety are endangered.
Create a Safe Workplace by Following These Tips
It is crucial to understand the value of creating a safe workplace. And if you don’t know where to begin, read on as we take the guesswork out of creating a safe workplace with these 7 proven tips.
1. Familiarise common workplace hazards and check your workplace
Nothing beats knowing common workplace hazards. Before you hunt for hazards in your workplace environment, you need to understand what you are looking for since there are many types of hazards.
It is best to consult websites such as the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), which provides guidance. You can also check out their list of workplace hazards or seek assistance from a safety inspection in London experts.
2. Provide employees with regular safety training.
Once you have familiarized the common workplace hazards and have figured out if they are present in your workplace, you must provide your employees with training on how to handle them.
It is a given that employers should be aware of workplace safety standards to comply with the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. In line with that, employers are also obliged to provide their employees with regular safety training. Such training should prioritize raising awareness of the hazards particular to your workplace, knowing how to report hazards and respond to emergencies, and many more. If by chance there would be an unforeseen accident, a personal injury lawyer in North York can help.
Create regular safety training that is tailor-fit to the needs of your company or the various job descriptions of your employees. Do not forget to conduct hands-on exercises that will help employees put what they learn during the training sessions into practice.
3. Involve employees in creating a safe workplace.
To create a safe workplace, everyone should work hand in hand to make that possible. Just as it’s your role as an employer to ensure that the employees are aware of the hazards and that they are given regular training, it is also as important to involve the employees in any decision that can impact their safety at work.
One of the ways you can involve them is to keep them in the loop. Keep them updated on the safety inspections and even safety-related statistics and issues. You should also encourage regular employee feedback.
Don’t forget to hold them accountable for their respective wellbeing by incorporating health and safety responsibilities in their job descriptions.
4. Supply safety equipment, visual safety aids, and messages.
What good will comprehensive safety training do if their workplace lacks the proper safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) at the end of the day? For instance, if you work at a warehouse, a forklift rear guard from Toronto is a must. See that your workplace has all the necessary safety tools and equipment ready and well-maintained.
In addition, put up clear safety aids and signages throughout the workplace. These aids may include a map that will guide employees to safety during emergencies, or it could be as simple as information, updates, and tips related to safety.
5. Establish a committee for health and safety.
Create a committee that will be dedicated to keeping everyone informed about safety matters and conducting company-wide meetings on safety.
The committee members should come from the various departments of the company to ensure that every department has a committee member who can keep them informed and a member who can represent them.
The members should ideally convene at least once a month to keep employees and management updated on safety-related matters and issues. In addition, they should also solicit feedback from employees to identify any oversight during the workplace inspection.
6. Develop and set an effective safety program.
An effective workplace safety program is an essential component of any successful company. One of the primary responsibilities of the safety committee includes creating and setting up a safety program.
An effective safety program should be supported by the management. It should have a communication strategy to ensure that the entire organization is aware of its safety goals. The said program should make room for worksite analysis and hazard prevention and control in the workplace. Most importantly, it should always involve the employees and their needed regular safety training.
7. Make safety learning fun.
There’s only so much that a human brain can hold at one time. So, if you overwhelm your employees with information, nothing will stick.
One of the best ways to retain what they learn after safety training is by letting them have fun after every session. Safety-themed group activities, trivia, and quizzes are among the many ways you can add fun and keep employees engaged, so they can retain the crucial information they need to identify hazards and prevent accidents in the workplace.