How To Improve Health And Safety In The Workplace

Mark Percol 2m 528

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Improving health and safety in the workplace is vital for both the safety of workers and also the productivity of a business. So, let’s take a look at just some of the many ways to improve safety in the work place.

Meetings

Holding monthly meetings for training safety and ensure that your staff are kept informed at all times. One staff member should be given this assignment and should be the one to line up topics and speakers to let staff know the ins and outs of risks and safety issues.

There are a whole host of basic topics that can be discussed at such meetings, including lifting techniques, tripping issues, first aid and even the safe handling of tools in the work place. Specialist trainers can be brought into ensure that all the staff in the area can attend and ensure that they’ve received necessary training. Often such meetings and trainings are required a number of times to ensure all staff are up to scratch and trained.

Emergency Evacuation

Emergency evacuation drills are extremely important in the work place and having a plan of this mould put in place so staff understand it is something of a necessity. Fire drills and evacuation drills allow people to practice their roles and in the event of a crisis they know how to deal with such issues. Also, ensure there is proper way finding in place as well as fire extinguishers that are fully charged.

Gear

Safety gear is extremely important and you need to know that people have adequate lifting belts, hats and goggles when they need them. If needs be you may have to reprimand people that don’t use them, this ensures that most people will and it becomes the done thing.

Safety Practices

Posting warning signs beside machines and devices to ensure they understand and partake in key practices when using them is very important. Having people trained and carry cards like those from a CSCS training Glasgow scheme can help too. This will serve as a timely reminder to obey specific practices.

Safety devices

Most machines come with certain safety devices that can add to the security and the safety of an item. These are varied; however they can really make a significant difference to safety when working on machines.

Safety Czar

Having an appointed safety czar is important too and you should ensure they are armed with a check list and walk around on a set date one or twice a month to monitor hazards and other safety issues and ensure they are corrected.

No Accident Days

Competition tends to encourage success in some areas and having no accident days between departments and offering rewards for these can be a great way to get people to focus on health and safety in the work place.

First Aid Kits

Ensure that there are first aid kits at hand in and around the workplace. These kits should be checked by the safety czar to ensure they are full and restocked if they are not.

Mark Percol has written on all sorts of health and safety issues in his time for a range of companies.

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