Avoiding injuries and accidents in the workplace is crucial for keeping your employees safe. Even a single workplace accident could create a serious situation for your business. The best remedy for workplace accidents is to implement preventative measures like the ones below which can address key areas that can be the cause accidents. Here are 10 Tips to Prevent Workplace Accidents.
- Give employees the right training
One of the key things that prevents accidents in the workplace is by having preventative training for your employees, forming part of your health and safety responsibilities as an employer.
Giving workers the knowledge they need and cultivating the right attitude towards accidents will help employees to address situations before an accident has chance to present itself.
2. Assess your staff
Accidents can be caused by a lack of experience or inability to physically carry out a task. Make sure to screen your staff so you know their knowledge and physical condition means they can do the work required of them. (pinnaclemontessori.com)
3. Install signage
By putting safety hazard signs in strategic places around your workplace, you’ll be able to provide convenient reminders of crucial health and safety information to your employees. Keyword: safety hazard signs
4. Avoid taking shortcuts
Follow the proper procedure each time you perform a task can avoid injuries from occurring by using unsafe methods.
5. Use proper PPE
If personal protective equipment is required for certain jobs, make sure it’s readily available for use.
Issue appropriate gloves, headwear, safety goggles and other key pieces of PPE when employees will be carrying out tasks that need it in order to be done safely.
6. Stay aware of your surroundings
Keep an eye on your environment and what other employees are doing around you to avoid moving into dangerous areas.
Some of the most common workplace accidents are from slips, trips and falls, as well as being struck by moving objects, which could potentially be avoided by paying attention to what’s going on around you. If you see a hazard, report it and get it resolved.
7. Don’t carry out tasks you don’t know how to do
If you happen to be given a task that you’re not comfortable doing, whether that’s through a lack of training or you’re unsure how to approach it, always ask for instructions. It’s better than trying, getting it wrong and ending up injured.
8. Match tasks with the right number of people
Don’t try to attempt a two-person task on your own, as you can end up being put in a compromising situation that can result in serious injury or something worse. Always have the right number of people assisting you with difficult jobs.
9. Talk to your supervisor about risks
Sometimes you may identify risks that haven’t been taken into consideration when a job has been issued.
If you think there are additional risks which haven’t been factored into a task, raise these with your supervisor so adjustments can be made in order to make a task safe.
10. Diffuse difficult interpersonal situations
Fights at work are a more common occurrence than you might think, making up a considerable number of non-fatal accidents at work each year.
If you sense a situation is escalating, raise it with the right people and address the problem before a fight gets chance to start.
These ten tips will give you a good head start when preventing accidents in your workplace, but it’s important to remember that each workplace is unique. Consider what specific measures your business needs to prevent accidents and inform all staff of what these measures are.
