4 Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Injury In Your Workplace

No matter how safe you your workplace is, there is always room for improvement. And while the best way to assess and improve your workplace safety is to get a professional audit and report done by professionals like the team at DRA Safety, here are a few quick tips you can implement before you get the experts in:

1. Have the proper safety equipment.

Start with the basics.

First-aid kits, fire extinguishers and blankets, evacuation plans for your building, emergency contact numbers and procedures. These are the basics every workplace should have, whether it’s an office block or a factory floor, and are a solid foundation for a safe workplace. But don’t stop there – after these basics, start tailoring the safety equipment to your specific industry. High-vis and hardhats are a must at construction sites and plants where a lot of elevated work is carried out.

Be sure to not just provide enough for your workers, but also for any guests who may turn up on site – like management from head office, or architects visiting their new buildings. Keep these items in a secure location, clearly labelled, and easily accessible.

2. Have your staff properly trained.

If your know how to do your job correctly, you’ll be doing it much more safely, especially if you’re working with heavy machinery, power tools, or hazardous chemicals. In other words, preventing an accident is better than trying to manage it. Professional qualifications and training should be attained and maintain for heavy equipment. And if an accident does occur, make sure you and your staff are trained in the proper use of all that safety equipment mentioned as well as reporting tools and forms.

Regular safety meetings to keep workers up to speed with any changes is a good idea as well.

3. Maintain your equipment.

Again, this goes both for your everyday equipment you use to do your job, and for your safety equipment. Get your electrical equipment – photocopiers, power tools, computers, and even the microwave in the break room – tagged and tested annually. Keep tools and vehicles adequately maintained, and replace them if they’re getting worn out. Faulty equipment is one of the biggest causes of workplace injury – these are often items that are frequently used, so they are constantly in the presence of workers, making them a danger. And if something does go wrong, and you need to use your safety equipment…is it up to date?

It’s vital to keep your safety gear just as well-maintained as your work gear. Keep first-aid kits stocked, get alarms regularly checked and tested, keep fire extinguishers filled and in date. To this end, it’s vital to have a reporting system in place, which lets management know if someone’s had to get a band aid from the kit, or used the fire blanket to extinguish a toasted sandwich blaze in the break room.

4. Get a proper safety audit done.

And finally…get the professionals in to look over your workplace, those who are trained to make your world a safer place. Properly trained and accredited safety specialists will find any areas which could be made safer. They can then advise you on how you can improve.

So, here are four simple suggestions which any workplace can take on board. Not only will these likely lead to direct improvements in your safety (and can have implications on productivity and morale), but should also get you thinking more frequently about being safe. Starting with these tips, are there any more you can think of?