Workplace safety should always be a top priority, but many company owners and managers worry that it’s too expensive. While this concern is understandable, you don’t need to risk your employees’ health to avoid bankrupting your company. Here are a few easy ways to increase workplace safety, even if your budget is tight.
Hire the Right People
Start by choosing employees who have the qualifications, maturity, and personality to prioritize safety. Add some safety questions to your interviews and consider speaking to candidates’ previous employers about their dedication to workplace safety.
Train Them Properly
Even the most experienced employees are unfamiliar with your specific workplace and the unique hazards that may be present. When onboarding new employees, make sure to point out possible dangers within the workspace. Also, take the time to train each employee on each piece of equipment or chemical they will need to handle. Add a few minutes of workplace safety talk to every team meeting, and make sure employees know how to report conditions that may be unsafe.
Make Safety Non-Negotiable
From day one, make sure every employee understands that safety is a requirement of the job. It’s also imperative to lead by example. Never cut corners or take risks to boost production. Hold team leaders and supervisors accountable for keeping their workspaces as safe as possible and for keeping a close eye on their team members. Empower workers to report safety issues and even to refuse to perform unsafe work without fear of reprisal.
Ask for Feedback
Especially if you don’t work on the front lines, you may not be aware of every safety hazard in your organization. Hold safety meetings now and then, in which you actively solicit feedback regarding hidden hazards and ways of working more safely. Also, provide a clear system through which workers can provide feedback between meetings. Make sure you follow through with action based on the information your workers provide.
Workplace safety should be a top priority for all companies. Fortunately, it doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Implementing a few simple practices can go a long way toward boosting safety for everyone in the organization.
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