The need for staff to both feel safe and be safe at work is never to be discounted. It doesn’t matter how busy the office is with a pressing deadline on a project or other company concerns, safety must never be set aside in the pursuit of other goals or objectives. In this article, we provide some detailed points to advise business owners on how to help make their staff safer at work. This includes avoiding accidents and other problems, which is good for the employees but also better for the business owner.
Workwear Clothing
Depending on the role that an employee is carrying out, it may make sense for them to use work clothing that is appropriate for use on the job. While work attire might be more formal in management positions, there are plenty of roles in most companies where protective clothing is called for. These types of safety wear offer greater protection along with being durable, breathable and where appropriate, reflective. To find a good range of workwear clothing, workwear safety items are available here.
When it comes to safety clothing, Engelbert Strauss is at the forefront of the industry. Their safety clothing comes in many styles, fits, colours, and sizes to suit many body shapes. It’s also fashion-conscious, so you can wear their safety workwear during the daytime without looking out of place.
Be Careful About Heavy Lifting
Lifting heavy boxes or awkwardly shaped items makes it easy for an employee to get injured. Only the most appropriate person should be lifting heavy items. Usually, their role is understood to include some degree of heavy lifting. If so, they should be called upon to perform the heavy lifting and not another employee who was not expecting it.
With the person who’ll do the lifting, they should make use of any handles. Share heavy lifting as a two-person task where needed. Their back must be straight while bending their knees to get to ground level to pick up a box.
It’s also a good idea to know where they are taking the box before they start carrying it. This is because lifting and carrying a heavier item a short distance might be possible but a longer one may strain their back. In this case, when knowing the carry is over a greater distance, they can choose to ask another member of staff to help them share the load.
Avoid Accidents in the Office
The office may seem like a safe place but there are still a few people who sadly lose their lives every year due to an accident in their office. UK safety standards do their best to ensure that office workers face fewer safety concerns to avoid unnecessary accidents that are mostly totally avoidable.
The greatest risk with office workers is usually the stairs. Losing their footing and falling down a flight of stairs can cause serious head, neck, leg, arm, rib and other internal injuries. These are severe and can require ongoing treatment to deal with internal damage. Such as a chiropractor for back issues or operations to fix injuries that won’t heal on their own.
Operating Heavy Equipment Safety
Anyone operating heavy equipment like machinery or a forklift truck needs to go through training on how to use them safely. Emphasis needs to be placed on moving slower than they could and being mindful of what’s nearby. People walking around in a warehouse are at particular risk from falling objects and other unexpected events.
Fire Safety at Work
Protection from a workplace fire is also a major concern. The regulations in the UK for fire are strict. There should be a fire marshal trained and appointed so that they can manage the responsibilities of the business to its employees. Also, all businesses should undergo commercial fire alarm installations that comply with regulations.
All flammable items need to be removed or moved away from the path that employees will need to take to reach the emergency exits. A designated collection point must be set up outside and practice drills run to familiarise all staff with what they must do in the event the fire alarm goes off for real.
Safety from Violence
Providing a safe work environment also includes safety from injury by another party. Companies must avoid violent incidents, to defuse any that arise and, where appropriate, contact the relevant authorities.
The code of conduct for employees typically states that violent conduct will not be tolerated on or near the work premises. Such action is usually a cause for instant dismissal. Ensuring dangerous individuals don’t remain or are allowed to return to the premises is also part of staff safety.
Keeping everyone safe in the office covers many different responsibilities for the employer. However, the employees also have a duty of care not only to themselves but also to the people around them. They too must act responsibly and notify the right people should a safety concern arise. Only in this way can the managers react appropriately to resolve the situation.