A workplace safety program is a must for any business to protect workers from injury, illness or in the worst situation – death. Besides protecting workers, having a safe and hazardous-free environment increases productivity and reduces employee sick time, the cost of health insurance benefits and workers’ compensation claims.
It is management’s role to identify what hazards are present and to eliminate them. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a hazard is the potential for harm and is often associated with a condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in injury or illness. Some of the most common hazards are chemical, electrical, confined spaces, falls from elevation, drug exposure, motor vehicle, mechanical, noise, insect, radiation, extreme temperature, ergonomics, explosion and fire.
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) recommends the following solutions to ensure a safe workplace:
Conduct a risk assessment to identify hazards before they occur. Focus on job tasks, individual workstations and program areas to determine what can go wrong, the consequences and how likely the hazard will occur. OSHA recommends giving priority to jobs with the highest injury or illness rates; followed by jobs with the potential to cause severe or disabling injuries; jobs in which one human error could lead to a severe accident; jobs that are new to the operation or have recently changed; and then jobs complex enough to require written instructions. Take immediate action if any hazards pose danger to life or health.
Involve staff in the process. Your staff members can provide feedback on any safety issues that may go unnoticed by a supervisor. Also, by including employees in the process early, they will be more likely to adopt changes to procedures as they are made. Encourage ongoing safety feedback, even after the assessment is complete.
Review your company’s accident history. What accidents have occurred on the job? Has your company experienced any occupational illnesses?
Know the laws for your industry. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Some industries provide additional requirements as well. For information on compliance visit www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/?cm_sp=ExternalLink-_-Federal-_-DOL.
Determine what resources, methods, etc. will eliminate or reduce the hazards and develop procedures. The result may be simple such as providing employees with hearing protectors or hard hats or it may be on a larger scale such as changing procedures.
Train your employees on the new procedures. Invest in training to ensure your employees understand and can implement the new procedures. Programs such as the WCF Employed Worker Training Awards can help cover the cost of your training.
Monitor, monitor, monitor. Once your new procedures are set, the process is not complete. Continuously monitor for workplace safety to ensure your employees are following procedures and for any new hazards that may arise.
