Companies pay millions of dollars each year towards insurance and other programs that may out when an employee becomes injured on the job. An injury can result in insurance costs rising and potential lawsuits, which is why companies should look for ways to reduce the number of injuries and accidents that occur. As the owner of a business or the manager of a company, you can add things to your daily checklist like regular inspections to ensure that each employee is safe while working for you.
Routine Inspections
Doing routine inspections is one of the best ways to keep employees safe. If those workers spend even a fraction of the day around heavy equipment like a deaerator vacuum breaker, you need to check for anything that might cause an injury. This includes leaks that can leave the floor wet and slick, doors that should stay closed that keep coming open and equipment that reaches a higher temperature than it should. You can schedule an inspection first thing in the morning and before the facility opens to make sure that it’s safe for every employee working that day.
Training and Spot Checks
When you send someone to work who does not know what he or she should do, you risk that employee injuring himself or herself and causing injuries to others too. Before an employee starts, you should make sure that the worker goes through all the necessary training. This can take a few hours or a few days and may involve some on the job training. Once you have employees in place though, you should also do some regular spot checks. Those checks help you ensure that employees follow all the mandates and regulations in place designed to keep them safe.
Offer Safety Gear
Depending on the industry that you work in, you may find it helpful to offer some safety gear and to keep gear on hand for employees to use when they forget theirs at home. Safety glasses keep debris out of their eyes and reduce the risk of scratches, while fluorescent clothing helps others spot them from a distance. You might keep catalogs around the office and encourage employees to order other gear like steel-toed boots too. Using these methods will keep your employees safe on the job and reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace too.