In fields that require a lot of heavy lifting, machine operation, or physical exertion, you have to take special measures to prevent and manage on-the-job injuries and accidents. If you and your team fail to practice proper workplace safety methods, either employees or customers could be seriously hurt. In the US, construction injuries amount to 25% of all workplace accidents reported, and in 2021, 46% of these were fatal falls, slips, and trips.
Whatever your workplace role may be, it’s essential to observe and promote safe habits and know the correct procedures for dealing with emergencies and hazards. Keep reading for five important tips that will help you maintain a safe and incident-free workspace.
1. Promote Awareness
No matter what type of work you do, the number one way to prevent incidents and injuries is to stay alert and aware of your surroundings and of your own actions.
For starters, it’s very important for workers to be attentive and limit distractions while they’re working. Coming into work drowsy or under any influence can inhibit your mental and physical faculties, making it impossible to do your work correctly. While seemingly small distractions like cell phone use may seem harmless, they can be equally as detrimental if they take attention away from an important task.
If you operate heavy machinery, work with dangerous equipment, or even just drive on the job, an accident could be harmful or even fatal to anyone involved. You have to stay on top of your work and your surroundings to anticipate and correct possible issues and keep everyone (including yourself) safe.
2. Maintain Correct Posture & Techniques
Another way to prevent injuries and issues is to ensure that you always interact with machines, tools, and heavy objects in the correct way. Follow safety guidelines for large equipment and power tools to prevent unintentional problems. Remember to use safe lifting techniques for picking up and moving heavy loads to avoid hurting your back or dropping and breaking materials. If you are doing a sedentary job, do check out some posture related tips.
3. Take Breaks & Listen to Needs
While many of these tips are about bettering workers’ habits, it’s also important to care for workers and listen to their needs. Happy and healthy employees do the best and safest work. Injuries and accidents often take place toward the end of a workday when everyone is starting to feel worn out and anxious to finish their daily tasks and head home. Combat end-of-day issues by taking regular breaks and listening to what you or your workers need. While pushing everyone to be productive and complete tasks in a timely manner is important, health and safety are bigger priorities.
4. Use Appropriate Safety Equipment
Another way to keep the workplace operating smoothly and safely is to ensure that all workers are wearing the appropriate safety equipment. While proper equipment use and other safety practices should prevent problems, sometimes true accidents occur that can’t be prevented or avoided. In those cases, safety equipment will help protect you from harm.
5. Report Hazards & Incidents Immediately
With all of these techniques and tips in mind, it’s important to recognize that some accidents are truly unavoidable and injuries will occur. Prevention is the best practice, but anticipating the worst and preparing for how to manage these problems is an important part of any workplace safety plan.
If you notice a hazard, witness an accident, or experience an injury yourself, report it immediately. If you catch potential hazards in time, your supervisor may be able to resolve the issue before anyone gets hurt. If an accident has already taken place, finding emergency medical care should be your first priority.
If you were injured on the job, you should file the appropriate reports and insurance paperwork right away to ensure that the incident is properly recorded. If you’re unsatisfied with how your case is being handled, contact a personal injury attorney to help you get appropriate compensation for your injuries.
Work with Occupational Therapists and Clinicians
Clinical experts will provide you with extremely detailed observations on work-related injury prevention. Professional clinicians will visit your facilities and complete a full evaluation to identify areas where there may be a higher risk of employee accidents, therefore assisting your firm in avoiding workplace injuries. Occupational and physical therapists will be able to assist in making the office and work environment more pleasant.
Implement Safety Protocol from the Start
In order to deal with the site accidents, you should design a safety protocol for your workplace. Workplace safety begins on the first day, which necessitates the hiring of qualified individuals who are detail-oriented. Employees who obey safety regulations and do their tasks according to established procedures are the foundation of a safe workplace. Physical therapists are used by certain companies to assess the physical demands of each employment function. The information is utilized to build functional job analysis and post-offer pre-planning. You should also take a feedback from your employees in order to make the procedure better.
Workplace safety is a serious topic that isn’t stressed enough. Workers and their supervisors alike should follow these tips to keep their environments safe, encourage preventative practices, and communicate their needs and issues clearly.
Photo by Naseem Buras on Unsplash
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