Workplace injuries cost American businesses nearly $60 billion a year. Even if your workers aren’t doing manual labor every day, they can still be exposed to injuries. Here are tips on addressing common safety concerns for your employees.
Make Safety Training a Priority
Employees will make safety a priority if their leaders make it a priority. Include safety training in new employee orientation and hold regular safety training sessions for all employees to review important policies and practices and to update anything that might have changed.
Encourage Stretch Breaks
Many workplace injuries happen because employees are engaged in repetitive actions or they simply do not move for hours on end. Encourage (or require) employees to step away from their workspace and stretch several times during the day. Not only will this help prevent injury, but it will also allow employees to return to work feeling a little more refreshed.
Keep Fire Extinguishers in Good Working Order
Make sure to follow all local regulations that dictate how many and what kind of fire extinguishers your business should have. Have them serviced regularly and make sure all employees know how to use them.
Keep First Aid Kits Stocked
Make sure to have at least one first aid kit for the office, but depending on how many employees you have, you may want more. They should include band-aids, tape, gauze, ice packs, Benadryl, antibacterial spray or ointment, etc. Make it someone’s responsibility to check all kits at least once a year and replace expired items.
Hold Drills
Safety in the workplace isn’t always about avoiding worker accidents. Fire, natural disaster and sadly, active shooters all put worker safety in jeopardy. Hold fire drills, evacuation drills and active shooter drills so that employees know how to respond and how to protect themselves in the event something unforeseen and potentially life-threatening happens.
Update Your Security System
Controlling who comes in and out of your building is an important factor for safety in a world where workplace violence is all too common. Assign photo badges to employees that can be used to gain access to the building or critical access points.
If you are looking for more ideas on improving workplace safety, worker engagement or hiring and retention at your organization, contact the engineering recruiting experts at Selectek today.
