Best workplace safety practices to protect your employees

No matter the business you conduct, or the type of company you work for, adhering to health and safety regulations is a requirement.

As an employer, you must make sure that the work environment is risk-free and that any necessary measures are taken to provide a proper workplace, and that every employee is adequately taken care of. 

The reality is that there may be times when accidents still happen, despite all the required measures, as it is impossible to foresee every scenario. However, to diminish the risk and to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to safety, it is crucial you adopt several practices meant to protect your employees. The foundation of every company should be created around safety and understanding. This is a vital aspect of keeping your employees motivated. When they are assured the work environment in which they are present so often is safe, their loyalty increases. 

For this reason, health and safety should be embedded within the company culture. Shortly put, with training programs, a reward scheme, and updated information on new measures and equipment, you will be able to achieve a safe workplace. 

All these factors taken together help you put into practice a holistic approach. Therefore, here are some of the best workplace safety measures to adopt in order to protect your employees:

Provide regular workshops and training programs

Learning is and will always remain a vital part of a business. Truth be told, people constantly learn throughout their lives. But nowadays, this statement is more valid than ever. With so many technologies emerging and new applications, it is of the utmost importance for people to keep up with them. For this reason, learning a new skill and how to use a particular software program or app, for example, is crucial. 

The same applies when it comes to health and safety in the workplace. Employers must make sure their employees are up to date with the latest information when it comes to safety measures. Therefore, you should provide regular workshops and training programs as necessary. 

Invite specialised guest speakers

Depending on the new information or technology that needs to be addressed, you may not always be prepared with what it needs to teach it properly. For this reason, the recommended thing to do is to invite guest speakers who are specialised in areas related to health and safety in the workplace.

For example, an idea of a guest speaker is an occupational clinician or therapist. These people are highly skilled healthcare professionals. Based on their vast expertise, occupational clinicians are able to provide valuable and relevant insight and information when it comes to workplace safety and injury prevention. Plus, they can also explain how to deal with and what to do if an accident happens. This way, your employees will be better prepared and protected.

Encourage exercise and greener transportation

The following workplace health and safety practice is more related to employees’ overall well-being. If your staff sees that their employer takes physical and mental health seriously, encouraging them to exercise and take stretching breaks will give them more reason to continue working for them. This way, they will feel protected and give them a sense of belonging. 

For example, you may have employees who prefer cycling to work. In this case, it is crucial to provide them with a designated and properly developed parking area so that they can actually be able to come to work by riding a bicycle. 

Cycling is not necessarily a dangerous activity. However, if you do not ensure that your employees can safely use it as a means of transportation, you may risk them suffering from a cycling injury, which happens to no fault of their own. In this case, they are entitled to claim compensation. Therefore, you should accommodate this workplace safety practice, from developing cycle lanes to installing a proper parking area.

Install informational posters and signs 

Having informational posters on walls around critical areas is the easiest and least expensive workplace safety practice you could use to protect your employees. Plus, it is also an effective method, as everyone can access all the needed information in an instant. They work as excellent reminders and are easy to read, as they usually contain graphics as well to depict a situation or procedure clearly. 

Therefore, you should not underestimate installing informational posters as well as required signs such as the exit one, clearly indicating health and safety measures. If you wish – and the budget allows – to go one step further, you could purchase digital posters. These are extremely helpful, as they can efficiently provide more information if an employee needs it. These digital posters are pretty interactive and very easy to use. 

Purchase the needed tools and equipment

Without the proper tools and equipment, the risks of an accident can significantly increase. This is because poorly maintained equipment or old tools can lead to defective issues that can easily result in an accident. If your employee is injured by such a tool or equipment, to no fault of their own as the main issue is negligence, they have the right of claiming compensation for personal injury, no matter how severe it is. 

It almost goes without saying that part of your workplace safety practices should be purchasing and providing the right tools and equipment. What’s more, you should ensure that they are all functioning correctly and that there are no technical issues that could lead to accidents. This applies to any work environment, from construction sites to office spaces. 

Encourage an open dialogue

Last but not least, you should always encourage open dialogue within the company. If there is honest and open communication between you and your employees, trust and loyalty will inevitably increase. It may not sound like a workplace safety practice. But suppose your employees feel comfortable coming to you with any issues or matters. In that case, they will feel encouraged to highlight any problems they may witness when it comes to health and safety in the workplace.

As much as you put all the safety measures necessary into practice, you may not be aware of all the issues. Your employees are your best chance to pinpoint any possible dangers in a work environment. Therefore, if they feel encouraged to start a dialogue, they will feel comfortable addressing any issues, which you can then eliminate or mitigate.