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Keeping Safe: 10 Top Tips for Preventing Safety Hazards

Safety Hazards

Workplace injuries are prevalent. In 2018 alone, there were 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries recorded in the United States.

Industries, like the construction industry, face a lot of safety hazards. However, with the proper safety measures in place, some workplace accidents can be prevented.

It is a widespread misconception that small businesses are risk-free. However, workplace hazards are a risk in every industry, and proper measures and guidelines should be implemented to prevent all mishaps or accidents that might occur in the workplace.

Here are some tips that can help mitigate risks to any business and prevent some of the most common accidents.

1. Training

Training is one crucial measure for preventing hazards in the workplace. You and your employees need to know how to identify a threat and what to do when faced with a risk. Employees can be trained according to their posts or positions at work.

Comprehensive training should be a must, and you should also ensure that all your employees know the essential things to do to prevent hazards. For example, training your employees on how to use the different types of fire extinguishers in the workplace can help stop a fire before it causes much damage to the property or the employees themselves.

2. Risk Assessment

Identifying potential safety hazards is yet another tip that can help keep your business and workers safe. It is the responsibility of the employer to keep their employees safe and provide them with a safe working environment. Once you have trained your employees, they will help you identify the risks they face, which can help you find the best way to deal with them.

You can also partner with other professional companies, occupational therapists, and safety experts familiar with risk assessment codes to help make your workplace safe. Identifying the potential risks in your business is the first step toward reducing workplace-related injuries and accidents.

3. Have Open Lines of Communication

Every employer, supervisor, or manager should be approachable. This way, the employees can let the management know of any hazards or risks they face in their specific lines of duty. Likewise, your employees should be able to freely share their safety concerns with you as the employer or your management team.

Where possible, have regular meetings to discuss and review safety rules to know what you should improve on or which measures you can implement to ensure safety. Remember, the people on the ground are better placed to help identify all safety hazards.

4. Get Rid of the Mess

If the workplace is messy, chances are it is prone to accidents. Depending on your work environment, whether an office, construction site, or warehouse, you should ensure that boxes are properly stacked, all spills are quickly cleaned, damages to the floor are repaired to avoid trips, and the walkways are shoveled and salted after winter.

Watch out for electrical wires and tangled cords that are also a significant cause of trips and falls in the workplace. You should also conduct regular inspections of the office or job site environment.

5. Use Labels and Signs

Signs and labels are some of the most potent tools to remind employees of the safety protocols or measures to take. They are also good at communicating warnings. Ensure that all hazardous materials, restricted areas, open pits, exits, fire points, and more are clearly labeled.

You can also use picture labels with the proper OSHA color codes. Your employees should also be aware of what every color means.

6. Provide PPE

The employer must ensure that all the employees have the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is a requirement by the law. The employees should also be trained to wear safety goggles, earplugs, hard hats, gloves, earmuffs, boots, and any other PPE they use correctly.

When used correctly, PPE can significantly reduce an injury’s risk or severity.

7. Have a First Aid Kit

If you have a large worksite, you should place first aid kids in several different places throughout the job site. First aid kits should also be well-stocked, and employers should ensure that some employees are trained in first aid. In addition, the first aid kit for sale is available at any e-commerce site.

8. Create an Emergency Action Plan

It is natural to panic whenever there is an emergence of an incidence. Not only should you have a working emergency plan, but you should also conduct some emergency drills, like fire drills, to ensure that your employees know what to do in case of an emergency.

Create a system that you can use to know your employee’s whereabouts quickly; if you have trained first responders, they should also know what to do when facing an emergency.

9. Proper Storage

Tools and equipment that are not stored correctly can be a safety hazard. Every tool should be stored in its place to avoid using the wrong tools. When storing items, always remember to place heavy items low and distribute weight evenly across the shelves or cabinets.

10. Regular Equipment Repair and Maintenance

To avoid equipment malfunction, all the machines and equipment you use should be well maintained and promptly repaired by qualified technicians. The machine operators and other employees will be safe and more productive.

Conduct regular equipment inspections and encourage your employees to report any malfunctions immediately to avoid workplace hazards.

Implement All Safety Protocols From the Start to Prevent Safety Hazards

Even though workplace safety is a continuous process, it starts from day one. To prevent safety hazards, you should pay close attention to risks and other safety details before bringing in your employees. Then, as your employees come, they should be able to follow the safety requirements and work according to the safety measures in place.

Please share this article with others to help them understand how to stay safe in their work areas.

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