No one actually wants a workplace that’s filled with risks and hazards. There are many reasons you’d actually want a safe workplace.
Studies have demonstrated that happy employees are more engaged and productive. There’s also the legal responsibility, you have an employer for the health, safety and wellbeing of your staff while they are at work.
You probably think that your building is pretty safe but could it be safer? It’s easy to be complacent about small aspects of health and safety that no one realises will have a major impact until they do. It’s a bit like tidying up. If everyone takes responsibility and does it as they go along then it’s less likely to get out of control.
Here are five things you can do to start making your workplace a safer environment.
1. Make use of awareness weeks
Have you tried using awareness weeks to draw attention to specific issues in your organisation? For example, Fire Door Safety Week is a campaign that takes 19-25th September. Its primary message is ‘the importance of fire doors in saving lives and protecting property.’
Frighteningly the campaign reports that people are more likely to report a toilet not flushing or a malfunctioning heating system than a fire door issue. Keeping fire doors closed and reporting when they won’t close properly is a fairly small thing but is so often overlooked. An awareness week is a good opportunity to remind staff of the difference taking responsibility for a small action can make. For example, getting people to notice which doors are fire doors is a great starting point. Then you can encourage keeping them closed and ensure employees know who to report them to when closing mechanisms aren’t working
2. Check your insurance policy
If you’ve been in business for a while you’ve likely renewed your insurance a few times, including your employer’s liability insurance policy. Changes to the terms and conditions can be small but may impact your workplace. Take time to check through the documents and ensure that you are meeting all the requirements.
3. Have a tidy-up!
Trips and falls account for the majority of accidents in the workplace each year. They often lead to staff absence and are generally underreported. Having a regular tidy-up of offices, workshops and warehouse space helps with prevention and having an organised space to work in is more efficient and better for morale.
4. Display the right information
When you are legally required to display information it’s a good idea to do, particularly when health and safety are in the mix. By law, if you have employees you must display a poster which gives information about health and safety law in the UK for employees and employers. If you’ve got a poster up but it’s a bit tatty or in a place that makes it hard to read now is time to replace and reposition.
While you’re at it have a look at where information about your workplace health and safety policy is displayed and if staff members know where to find it! Ask a few individuals where they would look and make sure the information is up to date.
5. Talk to your staff
You need to know what the problems are to resolve them. Your staff members are a vital source of information when you’re looking for ways to improve health and safety so talk to them. Ask them what issues they are concerned about and who they talk to when they have concerns. Include them in risk assessment meetings. It’s about getting across the message that we’re all working together and their voice matters. Identify stress points or areas where they have concerns and start to act.
