Safety in the Workplace: Big Safety for Little Cost
There are many areas in life in which we employ little tactics to help improve safety. For instance, we wear our seat belts to help stay safe while traveling in a vehicle and we also make sure our shoes are tied so we don’t trip and fall while out and about. These safety actions are almost automatic as many people don’t even have to think about doing them, they just happen out of pure habit. Not only do these little safety practices help to keep us safe, but they also add to the safety as others as well. For instance, if a person working in a warehouse is walking around with untied shoes, he or she could slip and fall and essentially bump into and take down another employee as well. Safety practices when done correctly really have an impact on almost everyone, especially in the workplace.
There are many different small safety practices or items that can be done or utilized to help greatly improve the safety for everyone. It is important to remember that safety isn’t always expensive. Sometimes safety is just about keeping a shoe tied, or hair pulled back.
Here are some safety tips that won’t break the safety bank:
- Training – This one is my favorite. The truth is, we can add all the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) we want but it won’t really mean much unless the employees have been properly trained about safety. Employee training should always be the first line of defense against workplace hazards. Furthermore, training is cheap and can often times be 100% handled right in house.
- Add Some Gloves – It is estimated that nearly 25% of workplace injuries involve the hands and fingers. Avoid this type of injury through the utilization of proper safety gloves. Gloves are effective as they provide a barrier between the hand and harmful elements such as chemicals, high temperatures, and items which may cause cuts or lacerations. Gloves are very cost-effective and are often an easy practice to implement.
- Goggles aren’t just for Swimming – I once brought a pair of safety goggles home from a facility I was visiting and my daughter asked, “Daddy, did you go swimming today?” While many kids may assume that goggles are used to protect the eyes when swimming, they are simply used for so much more than that. Goggles take the hit instead of your eyes when an accident occurs. For instance, if a machine mechanic is repairing an engine out on the factory floor and the engine inadvertently shoots oil out without warning, would you rather it hit your eyes or a pair of goggles? I think we can all attest to the goggles. Goggles are truly a cost effective form of protection and also truly worth their weight in gold.
- Pick it up – Clutter and unnecessary debris are one of the main contributing factors to workplace trips and falls. However, even after knowing this many business still ignore the need to clean it up and just carry on business as usual. The rule should really be, if it is not being used right here, right now put it away. Don’t leave boxes of blueprints that are going to be used in a month stacked in an aisle way. Instead move them to safe location out of the way.
- Earplugs Save hearing – Huh? What did you say? You do not want your employees to be uttering these words every few minutes due to losses in hearing. Instead, ear plugs are an extremely efficient and cost effective way to protect the hearing of employees who work in loud areas.
Safety saves money versus costing money. For instance the gloves bought to protect an employee’s hands are far cheaper than the costs involves with paying for the employee’s medical bills and losses of production due to severe chemical burns. Make the smart choice and make sure that safety is truly at the heart of all business processes.
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