Work-related injuries are all too common, especially in light industrial facilities such as warehouses and manufacturing plants. But as an employer, there are active steps you can take to reduce risks. Here are three ways to improve workplace safety.
How Can You Improve Safety in Your Workplace?
Training
Most employees want to do the right thing, but they need to know what you expect. Conduct thorough safety training with all new hires, along with annual refresher courses for everyone. Also, post your most important safety policies in high-visibility areas such as employee break rooms. Make sure your team members understand what to do if they see a potential safety hazard, and never ask them to perform any job in which they haven’t been properly trained. Be sure to provide all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and make sure everyone knows how to use it.
Walkthroughs
Regular safety meetings and site walkthroughs can go a long way toward boosting workplace safety. It gives you the chance to look for and correct potential issues while also promoting a sitewide culture of workplace safety. Make sure you’re setting a good example by always wearing proper PPE whenever you’re on the floor.
You can also empower team members to perform their own smaller walkthroughs. Encourage each employee to do a short safety check of their immediate work area before beginning their day and report or correct any hazards they find. Also, teach them to spot signs of emerging issues, such as machinery that starts making unusual sounds.
Incentives
Reward the safety-related behaviors you want to see. Positive reinforcement can be a powerful motivator. Whenever you catch someone doing things the right way, give them a small reward such as a gift card or public praise. Try to minimize punishments for incorrect safety behaviors, as these can be demoralizing. Instead, punish only the most egregious violations and focus on coaching or retraining workers who make smaller mistakes.
Workplace safety is a team effort, so you’ll need to work hard to make sure everyone is on board. By implementing these active steps, though, you will be well on your way to running a safer organization.
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