Accidents in the workplace are more common that you may realize. As a result, health and safety issues in the workplace are a major concern that employers are always looking to address. Failure to address these concerns can lead to serious legal precautions, like costly lawsuits from employees who become injured on the job. The best way to avoid any health and safety issues is to address them before they can even become a problem. Here are some of the common issues in regards to workplace health and safety and the best way you can address them.
Issues With Workplace Safety
Workplace health and safety issues come in many different forms. One of the most common revolves around the actual setup of the workplace. Floors should remain clear of any unnecessary obstacles that can result in tripping and falling hazards, including the state of the flooring. If the floor is beginning to crack, then it is another potential safety hazard that can lead to serious consequences.
Other safety concerns include the working state of any machinery. If they are not serviced regularly, machines may begin to fail. Workers who continue using the machines can end up getting a limb caught, which can lead to potentially fatal injuries. The same can be said if employees do not wear the proper attire for working with big pieces of machinery.
Issues With Workplace Health
Besides the potential physical hazards, there is also the matter of health hazards in the workplace. Chemicals not being appropriately stored is one significant hazard that workplaces need to address. Some of these can cause severe injuries if touched with bare hands and can make an employee very sick if inhaled. Other health hazards come down to the drainage. If a workplace does not have high-quality, sufficient drainage, bacteria can begin to accumulate and grow. From there, it can end up in the air and can be inhaled, leading to illnesses and contamination of products.
Addressing Health and Safety Issues
1. Include Employees in Safety Planning
It is essential to listen to the health and safety concerns your employees may have. As the ones completing the work, you need to hear what they have to say and discuss with them what may be the best method for addressing those concerns. By involving them in the safety planning process, you are showing consideration for how they feel as well as showing you are willing to consider changes that will create a more comfortable and safer work environment for them.
2. Create a Safe Work Area
The easiest way to address safety and health concerns is to create a safe work area. This means keeping any unnecessary equipment or chemical cleaners out-of-the-way so that they are not blocking the work floor and creating potential hazards. A safe work area also means ensuring that all equipment and machines are in proper working order and are getting serviced regularly, otherwise, they can malfunction and lead to injury.
3. Install the Right Drainage Solution
As mentioned before, the wrong drainage solution can create many health and even safety hazards. Drainage systems with grates require a great deal of maintenance, and if not well maintained can create tripping hazards and a breeding ground for bacteria. Instead, you should consider alternative drainage solutions, like the Slot Drain system. Slot Drain is a pre-sloped, grateless drain system that is easy-to-install, sits level with the floor, and is incredibly easy to clean and maintain. Because they offer food-grade stainless steel options, concerns about bacteria become minimized, which helps to eliminate many health hazards.
3. Provide Clear Training and Instructions
You should never just put a new employee on the floor and expect them to know how to do things. Take the time to train all employees so they know how the machines work, teach them all the safety protocols, and create clear instructions on how to handle different situations. It is a small initiative that can greatly reduce the potential for workplace health and safety issues. But, it is not just about how things get done. It also means ensuring that they understand what type of attire is acceptable; wearing the wrong shoes or clothing can lead to serious problems, as well.
Health and safety concerns are easy to address and doing so is essential for a successful, happy workplace. Take the time to carefully assess your workplace’s health and safety levels and make changes as necessary. Doing so will keep your workers safe, happy, and wanting to work with you and will also prevent you from ending up in a lawsuit that can cost you a lot of money, and even your business.
