As a business owner, you are responsible for maintaining a safe and hazard-free environment for your employees and customers. Failing to do so is more than a lapse of judgment and could leave you in significant financial and legal trouble – which means that you must always work to improve health and safety levels and standards within the workplace. Not sure where to start? Read on to find out more!
Conduct regular risk assessments.
Conducting regular risk assessments is key to ensuring that your health and safety protocols are as up-to-date as possible. Ideally, this should be done once annually (or whenever new tools and equipment are introduced). The more thorough the assessment, the better, as this means that you can pick up on the often-overlooked workplace health and safety concerns, too. In some cases, it may be beneficial to hire a third party to carry out these inspections on your behalf, as they may pick up on potential issues you’d be otherwise unable to identify.
In addition to conducting regular risk assessments, it’s essential to take swift action when potential hazards are identified. Failing to address safety issues in a timely manner can lead to accidents, injuries, and legal consequences. If an employee is hurt on the job due to negligence or unsafe conditions, the business could be held liable, and that’s where a personal injury lawyer may become involved. These legal professionals specialize in representing individuals who’ve been injured at work and can help them seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. By prioritizing safety and addressing risks proactively, you not only protect your employees but also safeguard your business from costly legal disputes and damage to your reputation.
Appoint a health and safety officer within each team.
Appointing a health and safety officer within each key team can also prove to be useful, as it ensures that everyone is working to the same standards and that any potential hazards are addressed as quickly as possible. Of course, you should understand that the employees are properly compensated for taking on these additional duties and responsibilities and subsidize the cost of additional training when necessary. While this does come at an additional cost, it is a small price to pay for keeping your team and customers safe and your business in operation!
Install additional safety fixtures.
If you’ve noticed that your business premises are not quite up to scratch, then you should invest in installing additional safety fixtures. For example, commercial railings can prevent accidents (namely falls) and injury, providing you with much greater peace of mind moving forward. Again, this is something that is well worth the investment.
Prevent burnout.
When thinking of improving workplace health and safety, the majority of business owners put effort into enhancing their workspaces (as described above). However, it’s also important to show your staff the same level of care and attention, such as by working to prevent burnout. After all, while burnout and exhaustion may seem to be individual issues as opposed to a safety concern, studies suggest that 13% of workplace accidents are caused by fatigue. Fortunately, there are many ways in which you can combat burnout, such as by encouraging your team to develop a healthy work/life balance.
Cover all bases with health and safety training.
No matter what industry you work within, it is essential that all of your employees understand (and follow) the health and safety protocols that you have in place. In order to ensure this is possible, each employee should receive extensive health and safety training when during your team, even if they have worked in a similar role or industry beforehand. In short, don’t assume that their experience means they’re ready to get working right away.
Use health and safety software
Look into installing safety management software onto your business devices to assess risk in real time, streamline processes (less messy paperwork), and consolidate your business’s data. This will help you learn from any past accidents to prevent re-occurrences while understanding some of your business’s main health & safety risks – and the best ways to mitigate them.
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