Maintaining safety in your workplace is vital to the ultimate success of your company, but “it doesn’t happen by accident.” Taking safety thoughtfully and intentionally, as well as training your staff accordingly is crucial. In fact, according to OSHA findings, companies who place a priority on safety, taking appropriate preventive steps, have 50% fewer lost workdays.
Make a Plan
Make a note of common causes that result in:
- Injuries – from simple injuries that can be handled with first aid to ones that require medical attention to events involving significant trauma
- Loss of time – from cleaning up spills to repairing preventable breakdown in equipment
Identify hazards and choose both appropriate prevention and responses by asking questions:
- What could potentially happen?
- What could cause things to go wrong?
- What is the likelihood of it happening?
- Who might be harmed if it happens?
- What can be done to prevent it?
- What is the best response to contain the problem if it happens?
Create safety prevention standards:
- Begin at the top – management leads the way to intentional safety
- Design your program to encourage employee participation
Enact the Plan
Just do it
- Implement your safety program – including proper training of new employees
- Monitor it and evaluate its effectiveness
- Review and correct your system as necessary
- Set specific schedule for ongoing refresher safety training – from entry-level to management
Use and maintain equipment correctly:
- Train and enforce correct use of all tools and equipment
- Do not use tools/equipment for anything other than it is intended.
- Keep tools/equipment clean and in good working order
Avoid falls by:
- Keeping work areas clean
- Marking areas with a spill and cleaning up immediately
- Marking level changes and steps
- Proper use of step stools, ladders, etc.
- Keep aisles and work areas open
Additional areas requiring your focus include:
- Specific rules for operating large equipment – such as forklifts
- Eliminating fire hazards
- Providing and enforcing use of personal protective equipment(PPE)
Focus your efforts on the most likely issues, but don’t ignore the less common potentials for accidents. Involve your employees in the process by offering incentives/rewards for both departments with the best records and with the most improved numbers. Consider including a safety evaluation in your employee reviews. Encourage employees to bring safety concerns or initiatives to their supervisors or management and listen when they do. Investing time and money into safety – via training, technology, PPE, etc., will always save you time and money in the end.
Lingo Staffing places a priority on safety. We send our associates who respect safety guidelines with clients who value safe working environments.
About Lingo Staffing
Lingo is a full-service staffing firm dedicated to providing top quality services to its clients and its candidate pool. With extensive knowledge and experience in light industrial, administrative, and professional employment, Lingo encompasses the capabilities and resources necessary to help you get ahead.
Our experience and commitment to client satisfaction make us the perfect choice to manage all of your staffing needs. Our staff guarantees exceptional customer service with an expedient response time.
Our experts are located at an office near you: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.
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