Preventing hazards and keeping employees safe

Employers never want to hear that there has been an accident. Keeping employees safe from harm is a top priority for employers. Hazard prevention is the best way to keep employees safe while they are working for you.

There many things that should be gone over before an employee starts with any company. Some of the safety things that should be gone over with new employees, as well as regularly reviewed with seasoned employees are listed below.

• With anything that is done there should be a planned process and it should be followed correctly every time. There is no reason or excuse for cutting corners.

• If heights are a part of the job, there needs to be safe equipment available for employees and they need to be taught how to use them correctly. Never assume they already know how.
• If there are any electrical devices used they need to be installed and maintained properly. If there is any need to fix them, always cut the power first to prevent electrocution.

• Any heavy machinery used needs to be regularly checked and kept up. There needs to be operation manuals available at all times. Employees should only use machinery if they have been properly trained and know what they are doing.

• Small tools, such as hand tools, should be held to the same standard. Proper maintenance and knowledge is a must.
• To prevent personal injury resulting from falling or tripping, messes on the ground need to be cleaned up promptly. Depending on what was spilled on the ground, proper clean up techniques should be taught to employees.

• Know how much each employee can lift and don't expect more. If they need to lift a heavy or awkward object, team lifting is recommended.

• Worry about sanitation. Even if you aren't eating off of the surface, regular cleaning can help protect workers from germs.

• Make sure employees are watching their stress levels. If they know they are at a high stress level, help them work out a way to get their stress down to a manageable level.
• In different working environments employees are exposed to many different things that can become hazardous after long exposures. Make sure loud noises, toxic gases, or anything that long term can cause harmful effects are being taken care of the right way.

• Employees need to avoid doing repetitious work without the proper breaks. Changing the daily workload helps prevent injury.

• Know the escape plan for the building. Know where to find the closest exits, the fire extinguishers, eye washing stations, and more. Go over these drills often and at different times of day.

As employers you need to make sure you are doing all you can encourage safe behavior. There are some things that you can do to show your employees how important safety really is to you.

• Give employees what they will need to be safe. Provide training, manuals, and safety gear accessible to all employees when they need.
• Reward safe behavior. Find a reward system that encourages safety and helps employees remember the rules.
• Be an example of safety yourself. Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk. Expect the same from yourself as you do from your employees.
• And finally, if accidents do occur, do all you can to help the victim of the injury. Then do everything you can to prevent that from happening again.