An accident is something that doesn’t happen on purpose. This means that it’s possible to avoid completely. It’s important to keep this in mind when discussing accidents in the workplace.
Most accidents take place because people were not following proper safety precautions. Many people associate accidents in the workplace with high-risk jobs like manufacturing and construction. However, it’s worth noting that accidents can happen in any environment at any position.
In fact, it’s the people who work in high-risk jobs who will likely focus more attention on learning accident preventions while those with less physical jobs may be more indifferent.
If you run a business, it’s your responsibility to make sure that your employees are working in a safe and secure environment. So continue reading and we’ll walk you through the most important accident preventions to know about.
1. Use Proper Signage
There should be signs throughout the office that remind your employees of the proper safety procedures they should know about. There should also be signs showing the layout of the floor and where the emergency exits are.
These signs should be easy to see and be posted in places where those specific procedures are likely to be practiced. An accident prevention poster that’s hidden behind a shelf is worthless.
2. Keep Workspaces Clean
Although it might not be the first thing that comes to mind, keeping workspaces clean is crucial to avoiding accidents in the workplace. A space that is dirty and cluttered is going to be more difficult for people to properly move around.
When things are on the floor, the chances of slipping are increased. This goes for papers and equipment but also for wires and cables. Cables that run loosely along the floor are a major tripping hazard.
Whether you operate a small office or a large warehouse, it’s important that you keep the workspace clean. Every item and piece of equipment should be stored in a specific place instead of being scattered about.
If you’re overwhelmed or unsure where to put everything, you can hire a professional organizer to help you.
3. Stay up to Date on Vehicle Maintenance
If you provide your employees with company cars and vehicles to complete their tasks, it’s important that those vehicles are properly serviced and maintained on a regular basis. If you don’t maintain the vehicle, you’re going to get less use out of the vehicle and you’re putting your employees and other people on the road at risk.
4. Don’t Rush the Work.
We all know that time is money. Employees have important deadlines that they have to meet. This leads to a constant send of urgency when working on certain projects.
With that said, it’s important that employees have enough time to work without having to sacrifice their safety to get their tasks completed. When people rush, they’re more likely to make mistakes, not look where they’re going, and all-around rely less on their senses when they’re performing work.
Employees should always be encouraged to work quickly but safely.
5. Wear Proper Safety Gear
The safety gear is there for a reason. Whenever safety gear is required or recommended, employees and employers need to make sure those rules are being followed. No one is too cool to wear safety glasses and a hard hat.
If the safety gear is cumbersome, the employer should work to figure out a solution so that employees can be comfortable yet still safe.
6. Pay Attention to and Follow Emergency Drills
Your employees shouldn’t ever take their safety drills for granted. Just because there isn’t an actual emergency going on doesn’t mean that they should just go through the motions of the drill thoughtlessly. Participation in emergency drills is extremely important.
In order to get people to act more urgently, and also boost company morale, many employers hold competitions to see which teams are able to follow emergency drills the quickest and most efficiently.
7. Do Proper Training Whenever It Seems Called For
You can never have enough proper training. You need to make sure that all of your new employees undergo training so that they know how to work safely and effectively. You should also hold regular training sessions with all of your employees in case anything is updated or just to give people a refresher.
8. Make Sure You Follow All Instructions
People in workspaces tend to get complacent. It’s easy to assume that you know how to handle your job and you can avoid following all of the safety rules. But, as we’ve stated many times already, the rules are there for a reason.
Whether it’s your first day or you’re going on year ten, it’s important that you follow all of the instructions to a tee. Following instructions is the single best way to avoid accidents.
You should also make sure that you have employee liability insurance to protect you in the unfortunate instance that an employee ends up injured at work.
The Importance of Knowing Accident Preventions in the Workplace
Workplace accidents can lead to a loss of productivity, reduced team morale, not to mention injury or even death. It also means dealing with lawyers, workers comp suits, and a whole mess of other problems. However, complications like these can be avoided by practicing proper accident preventions in the workplace.
The important thing is to make sure that your employees understand the severity of workplace accidents so that they practice proper safety techniques.
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