Many of us spend a good proportion of our life at work. A typical full-time employee works at least 37 hours a week. Despite an increase in working from home since the Covid pandemic, it still remains very normal in many sectors for staff to be in a physical workplace most of the time, such as a warehouse, hospital or school.
Ensuring that employees are happy and safe at work is vitally important for employers. Let’s look at five ways that employers can boost safety at work and eliminate the risk of accidents, illnesses and other problems.
Clear Signage
Signs warning of potential risks are key to reducing the number of accidents in the workplace. This may include warnings of wet floors, stickers advising of heavy loads and signs indicating flammable or hazardous materials, according to the Health & Safety Executive. Additionally, clear signage means that the employer is less at fault if an accident does happen.
Careful Training
Employees should be provided with thorough tailored training on areas of potential risk, such as how to lift heavy items, work with chemicals or deal with fires.
Consider Potential Hazards
Lots of day-to-day things have the potential to be hazardous, such as wet floors, which might cause falls. Always consider what workplace areas carry risks – are there ladders, heat generating machinery or areas where employees might trip or fall? Consider any practical measures to increase workplace safety such as safety barriers or signage from specialist companies such as https://www.emtek.co.uk/products/safety-barriers/workplace-safety/.
Involve Occupational Clinicians
Occupational clinicians exist for good reason – to give you a professional input on potential hazards and the effect these may have on employees. They can advise on making the workplace safer and decreasing risk.
Encourage a Culture of Reporting Safety Issues
Lastly, we can’t stress the importance of having a culture of safety enough. When employees and managers alike all have safety on the agenda, they are free and welcome to raise any safety concerns and look out for others.
