Running a business often means you have a working environment, such as an office or work site. You might also employ a number of employees’, and hire outside services like a cleaning team. With lots of people coming and going to your business environment, it is important that you take steps to ensure safety. It means implementing health and safety rules and making sure every staff member is well informed about them. If you are looking for ways to make your business safer, this guide gives you some tips.
Assess Work-Place Hazards
A full risk assessment should be done to make you and employees aware of any hazards that might pose a risk to health and safety. Once you know what those hazards are, you can take steps to stop them, keeping employees safe.
Clear Policy
A health and safety policy is there to protect employees, and the interests of a business. Your employees should know the correct way to do their jobs safely, minimizing the risks of workplace accidents and injuries.
Having a policy in place for employees to follow should there be an emergency is also key to keeping safe. One example is having a fire drill that employees have practiced regularly, so they know what to do in the event of a fire.
Other procedures might include what to do if an intruder enters the premises, or if vandals or a shoplifter (if you have a retail business) show up while employees are there.
Visibility
To keep employees safe, have safety equipment such as fire extinguishers clearly visible and fire exits clearly labeled. An office or site first aid kit should be in a prominent place where employees can access it if they need to do so.
If your business environment is an outside yard or construction site, you might consider fitting emergency vehicle lights to trucks to make them more visible to workers. High visibility clothing should also be worn.
Collaborative Effort
Health and safety in the workplace should be a team effort, rather than just a set of rules for an employer to give to employees. Getting workers involved in the issues that affect them is empowering, making them feel valued. Happy workers who have their say are more likely to follow health and safety rules, as well as being able to identify the ongoing and new hazards that apply to their job. A collaborative health and safety effort means a fully compliant workforce and a safer working environment.
A safe working environment not only helps to keep employees and visitors to your site safe, but it also protects your business. The implications of not following health and safety rules can lead to costly fines, and even lawsuits should an injury occur. Having a solid set of rules in place gives you peace of mind, and shows that you value the employees who work for you. If you feel like some health and safety issues might need some attention, don’t wait around. Make it a priority to protect workers, and you will also be making your business safer.
