Following guidelines and procedures aren't just for complying with local and national safety authorities such as OSHA but for general wellbeing as well. Providing a safe work environment means protecting the company, the employees, and the customers.
However, as the world continually evolves with so many challenges and advancements that happen over time, so is the scope of workplace health and safety. Employee workplace health and safety have now taken a new meaning, with new demands and new coverage. Workers and companies today have to adhere to the current safety hazards and, at the same time, catch up with the latest trends.
In this article, we'll talk about some of the workplace health and safety tips that are relevant this time.
1. Workplace Health and Safety Must Be a Team Effort
Knowing health and safety procedures and requirements is not enough. It is necessary to inform and guide everyone in the workplace about safety procedures and requirements. Companies can take advantage of having workplace safety posters, signs, and tags.
The company should promote communication in the workplace as well. There are times wherein employees are hesitant to share specific impending dangers for fear of getting themselves or someone in trouble. Well, this is not helpful at all since it can only make things worse.
All workers must practice reporting work conditions, especially unsafe conditions, no matter how minor they think things are. The workers should speak up when it comes to situations at the workplace, from wet floors to a slightly bent ladder and more. This way, they can protect themselves and their co-workers. Both employers and workers must ensure that everyone is on the same page.
2. Promote Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health
Nowadays, when we talk about health and safety, we are not only referring to one's physical health but also one's mental health. Disregarding the importance of workplace psychological wellbeing can be costly for everyone. This 2023, employers are addressing the issues that might influence their employees' health and wellness more than ever. One of the many things they do now is providing mental health training to supervisors and managers and ensuring that workplace violence and harassment policies and programs are in place and well disseminated.
3. Take Advantage of Applications
In this digital world, it would be easier and more efficient to utilize mobile applications to monitor health and safety in the workplace. Through this, individuals working on areas such as factory floors, construction sites, and other accident-prone areas can report and track accidents. This will help report accidents and send notifications to workers in case there is maintenance done in one area. With app-based information dissemination, workers can proactively report information and can address situations faster.
4. Virtual Training as a New Option
One of the most essential means to achieving and maintaining a safe workplace is providing employees with proper health and safety training. While organizations were initially forced to conduct virtual training rather than the traditional in-class training because of Covid-19, it is now an ideal option.
Some organizations are now adopting virtual training as they see it as safer and more convenient for both employees and employers and cost-effective. In fact, some companies are currently devising an approach and strategy so that they can teach more things online.
5. Make Use of the Wearables
With today's advancements and needs, there are now commercially available wearables such as hard hats with sensors, wristwatches for location tracking and risk management, chest devices to measure body temperature, heart rate, exertion, etc. These devices may seem unnecessary, but they are helpful in monitoring and tracking employees and ensuring their safety and thus reducing work-related accidents.
Aside from that, remind workers to wear their personal protective equipment. Some workers forget or prefer not to wear PPE such as goggles, hats, etc. Well, they aren't designed for nothing.
Providing a safe working environment will help reduce work-related injuries and illnesses onsite. Thus, it will also lead to more benefits such as increased efficiency and productivity, a reduction in insurance claims, a boost in employee morale, minimized employee turnover, and a stronger and more resilient work culture.
6. Keep a Clean and Organized Workstation
Employees should practice keeping a clean and organized workstation. They must clean spillages and sanitize the area if needed. For company keys and locks, you can make use of stations to organize them. This way, you are promoting a conducive environment and helping employees react correctly in case of an emergency.
7. Stay Updated with the New Health and Safety Protocols
As a company, it is your responsibility to stay updated with the new protocols and procedures implemented by safety authorities like OSHA. Not only that, when introducing new procedures, systems, and protocols, ensure workers are aware. There should be proper training and education to assist workers and thus avoid potential incidents.
Promote a supportive culture. It is the company's job to inform the employees, but it is also the job of the employees to understand and practice with them. It may seem cliché, but the truth is, a safe workplace is a happy workplace.
8. Consider Having a Safety Squad
The people who know best about the workplace situation are those who have direct experience. Consider assigning a few of your staff to review the company's safety manual and ask for their experience and suggestions. This way, your eyes will be more open to things you often disregard. This also makes the employees feel involved, more recognized, and safer.
To Wrap It Up...
Promoting workplace health and safety is beneficial not only for the employees but even for the companies. By promoting this, companies can achieve improved productivity, minimize healthcare costs, and increase employee retention.
However, it's worth taking into account that achieving and maintaining a healthy and safe workplace is a continuing endeavor. It is not a one-time job. It requires the cooperation and collaboration of both the employer and employees. This is because no matter how many practical guidelines you've set, it will lead to nothing good if workers aren't aware and dedicated to following those guidelines.
The truth is, workplace safety starts with the company's commitment to achieve and maintain a safe workplace backed up by the employee's personal responsibility in the company safety culture.