Whether you’re an employee or a business owner, you can contribute to a safe, or even an unsafe, work environment. Ideally, everyone should aim for the former. A safer work environment can lead to better morale, more efficiency at work, fewer potential legal issues, and, most importantly, a reduced likelihood of someone getting hurt or even killed at the workplace.
There are some hazards that you simply can’t avoid. But you can make them less dangerous and be as compliant as possible with regulations and guidelines. Here are a few things to consider.
Appropriate PPE
Personal protective equipment is how people deal with hazards when they can’t remove the hazard. If there’s a slippery floor, clean it up. If you’re on an active building site, wear a hard hat, steel toe cap boots, and eye protection.
Of course, not all PPE is created equally. The same protective equipment you’d wear on a building site wouldn’t be appropriate for a doctor in surgery and vice versa. You need to ensure it’s appropriate for each job and environment. It should be part of the uniform.
The best way to do this is through research. Look up local regulations for specific work environments, as well as the likely risks that could occur. You should at least live up to the guidelines and, if appropriate, go a step further to keep your employees safe.
First Aid Training
But what if someone gets hurt at work?
Even if you do everything right, things can just go wrong. In this case, how you deal with a situation matters more than anything else. Ideally, you should have a first-aid trained employee around at all times. This isn’t always necessary, but it is a good rule of thumb to have.
First-aid can assess a situation and provide minor medical treatment. In severe situations, a first-aider can be a stopgap before paramedics and other emergency services can get on site. You should also have a first aid kit on the site at all times.
Ideally, nobody will need to use their training. But it’s still a good idea to either get first-aid trained (this can be great on your CV) or to encourage your employees to do so.
Fire Safety and Evacuations
Another potential hazard at work is fire. Fire can be caused by faulty electrics, water contacting electrical systems, and even things like cigarette butts or candles. Ideally, you should reduce the chances of fire by removing the possibility of these hazards.
But you also need to make sure you have fire alarms and potentially other systems like sprinklers. Get certified fire alarm installers to check your alarms and install new ones if necessary, especially if you’ve just moved into a building.
Commercial fire door installation could also be necessary. These doors can help contain smoke and flames to help allow safe evacuation. Other features like fire escape staircases may be necessary in some workplaces.
Also make sure that you have accessible fire extinguishers in your workplace. It’s important that you choose the right type of fire extinguisher – some are designed for wood fires, others electrical fires and others for cooking oil fires. Determine which type of fire is most high risk within your workplace.
Test the batteries often and conduct fire drills to make sure that the alarms work and that people know what to do if there’s a fire. Drills can save lives, as they prevent hesitation and help people understand where to evacuate to and how to get there quickly and safely.
