The UK sees approximately 69,208 nonfatal workplace injuries annually. If you’re a manager or owner trying to keep employees safe and prevent lawsuits, it’s important that you establish a workplace culture that values training and careful safety practices.
Here, we’re going to talk about some of the top ways that you can promote workplace safety and foster the best possible company culture. Read on for some effective tips on how you can keep employees safe, satisfied, and secure in their jobs.
Train Employees Appropriately
While many workplace accidents are a result of faulty equipment or simple falls, a growing number could have been prevented with appropriate training.
For example, a warehouse worker that wasn’t trained how to use the bailer properly could seriously hurt themselves trying to figure it out. Construction workers or manufacturers that never learned how to use cranes to move objects may fall and hurt themselves because they didn’t know how to use machinery.
Make sure that you put employees through rigorous safety training before letting them operate any equipment. Have them pass both a written exam and a practice-based test. You can sign off on them using the equipment regularly if they showcase that they are capable while being supervised.
Teach Industry-Specific Knowledge
Training isn’t one-size-fits-all. In fact, most safety training methods will depend on your specific market sector. The contents of your training will as well.
For example, needle safety is extremely important in the healthcare industry while being irrelevant for white-collar managers. Those who work with dangerous chemicals and hazardous substances will need to be taught the risks associated with each material and how to mitigate potential problems.
Go through the specific hazards of your industry, decide what employees need to know, and incorporate this information into your training regimen.
Keep Safety Data Accessible and Convenient
After your training, it’s important that you continue to keep safety information accessible to your employees. Upload it into a digital database that’s conveniently available on all mobile devices that authorized users regularly access. This will let them peruse both training documents and other safety data information whether they’re at work or at home.
Remember to include images and graphics that showcase how to use potentially dangerous equipment. The human brain processes image 60,000 times faster than text and remember far more image-based content. Including it makes your information easier for employees to consume quickly, remember, and apply to their everyday jobs.
Promote Workplace Safety the Right Way
Smart management doesn’t just mean being efficient about business matters. It also means ensuring that your employees have the means and knowledge to keep themselves safe while at work.
Now that you know how to create a culture of workplace safety, it’s time to learn more about your own well-being as well as others’. Check out the Health & Self tab on our homepage to learn more about how you can remain healthy and safe along with your employees.
