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The safety of you, your employees, your coworkers, and your customers should be one of the top priorities for any good business. Your commitment to safety in the workplace should extend beyond the minimum requirements expected of every building and strive to promote both the safety and comfort of everyone who interacts with your business. Here are five ways to keep your workplace especially safe beyond what is normally expected.
1. Electrical Safety
Electricity can cause a myriad of issues, some of which can result in injury, or even death. Because of how fickle electrical components can be, people have spent the last century coming up with ways to make it safer such as safety switches, outlet covers, and insulation. Electrical safety in the workplace should be a collaborative effort. If any employee sees a safety hazard, he or she should not be afraid to fix the issue, or better yet, let a superior know so that it can be taken care of safely. Electrical mishaps occur far too often. Do not let your workplace become a hazardous space.
2. Physical Health
No matter if you work in a physically demanding field or an office job where everyone sits all day, everyone must know the proper posture to use for his or her particular job. For example, in a job that requires several hours of heavy lifting per day, employees should be encouraged to lift with their leg muscles instead of their back muscles. On the other hand, physical injuries can also occur in an office setting in a much different way. Improper sitting posture and wrist movement can lead to intense strain on the back, neck, and wrists, which can turn into serious injuries.
3. Clearing Clutter
A clean office is a safe office. Do not rely solely on the janitor keeping the floors clean, you also need to take some personal responsibility in the state of your workplace. Having objects, large or small, littered around the floor is unsafe for several reasons. Firstly, it creates a tripping hazard. If someone is not watching where he or she is going and the floor is not clear, it can lead to serious injury. Clear walkways also ensure that the fire exits are freely accessible in the event of an emergency.
4. Label Everything
Everything should have a label, especially if it is a piece of equipment that could injure someone. Clear and concise communication is the mark of a safe and efficient workplace. If you work in a laboratory or warehouse, there are likely dangerous pieces of equipment everywhere you turn, but even in a typical office setting, there are potentially dangerous items that should have labels no matter how frivolous it may seem. Shredders, paper cutters, and kitchen appliances that you may have in the break room should all be labeled properly to avoid any potential injuries.
5. Reporting System
Employees should have a way to express when they feel something is unsafe through either a complaint box, direct communication with a superior, or a different method. The superiors should then take the proper measures to handle the situation and alert the concerned employee that they have fixed the problem. Not only does this help improve workplace safety, but it also encourages a sense of community within the office. When the employees know they are being heard and taken seriously, morale goes up. If they feel like their complaints are not being addressed properly or even considered, then further problems arise.
The subject of safety should never be taken lightly, especially in a public place. Not only can unsafe conditions create a sense of unease, but they also open the business or organization up to negligence lawsuits. If you take the safety of everyone who uses your business or building seriously, you will have much less to worry about regarding lawsuits and other problems people may have with the way you conduct your company.
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