Make Your Workplace a Safe Place for Employees
If you run a business, the need for health & safety regarding your employees should be your top priority. Workplaces can often be dangerous, depending on the type of business you run. Obviously, a traditional office setting is not going to have the same inherent risks as a warehouse or a loading dock. However, every business owner must take steps to make their workplace safe for all employees, no matter how small the risk of sickness and injury may seem. There are federal safety guidelines that all business owners must comply with. If the business is found to not be in compliance during a random inspection, it could be subjected to hefty fines, as well as being shut down until the problems are fixed and the workplace is made safe once again. Here are some ways that business owners can use to reduce the risk of accidents happening around the workplace.
1. Look around for any potential hazards
The first thing you will need to do is conduct your own thorough inspection of your entire workplace. Put yourself in the shoes of a federal inspector. Look for the type of things that they would look for during one of their random health and safety inspections. For example, if you see a fire exit door that is blocked with various supplies or merchandise, you should clear all of it away and make sure that the door is able to be easily accessed. Check all fire extinguishers to make sure they are working properly. These are some common things that end up hurting businesses during inspections. There is no excuse for it because they are easily fixed.
2. Prioritize risks
After your inspection, make a list of all the potential risks that you and your team noticed. Put these risks in order from least to most important. Starting with the most important risk, put together a game plan regarding how to handle this risk in the future so it does not become an issue again. It would be wise to put someone in charge of overseeing each risk, so it will be that person’s responsibility and they can focus on it.
3. Regular reviews
Once all of the risks have been assigned to people so they can be prevented, regular reviews of the workplace must be conducted to make sure safety standards are being met. This will help your staff stay prepared for an inspection.
Category: Business
