In any office or workplace, there are standard rules and protocols that everyone is expected to follow. Whether you work outside with heavy machinery or at your desk, some rules are important for all employees.
According to the ILO, nearly 2.3 million men and women all over the world succumb to work-related accidents or injuries.
If you’re the manager or leader of your company and wish to implement a few workplace safety rules and regulations, here are five of the most important ones that you need to know.
1. Report any unsafe conditions
Make it a point to tell all your employees that they must report any unsafe or unsanitary working conditions to the concerned authorities as soon as possible. Fixing unsafe equipment or machinery starts with every individual’s responsibility.
Ask them to report straight to their project leader or to you if they see a machine not working properly or a dangerous work area that hasn’t been properly sealed.
Managers are legally obliged to create safe working spaces for their employees and are supposed to rectify any malfunctioning to prevent accidents or even deaths. Make sure all your employees speak up when the time comes.
2. Wear safety gear
Depending on the kind of work that your organization does, it’s necessary to wear safety gear and uniforms before starting work. This includes safety helmets, protective gloves, protective eyewear, fire-redundant overalls, and anything else that has been mentioned in the safety handbook or guidebook.
If your working area accumulates debris or dust, be sure to wear breathing masks. This is also applicable if you have to deal with toxic chemicals or fumes.
If you see any worker doing their job without wearing protective gear, talk to them immediately and make them understand the importance of wearing protective uniforms.
3. Don’t choose shortcuts
Workplace safety is meant to keep everyone safe, even if it means working for longer hours. This is especially true if your workers have to work with heavy machines. Make sure everybody uses each tool or machine the way it’s supposed to be used, without taking advantage of dangerous shortcuts.
Many times, opting for shortcuts in the absence of supervision can lead to severe accidents, both for the office as well as for the workers. All this just isn’t worth the trouble or danger. So ask all the employees to work safely and avoid shortcuts as much as possible to minimize risks.
4. Take breaks regularly
This point applies to all offices dealing with all kinds of products and supplies. Even if your employees all have desk jobs, ask them to take breaks to prevent straining their eyes or necks. You can tell them to follow a specific rule where, every 20 minutes, they have to rest their eyes for 20 seconds.
Taking regular and healthy breaks will prevent a host of eye, neck, and back injuries and also cause a bit of relief to the mind. When your employees are taking a break, tell them to not scroll on their phones because that will just be another problem instead of providing any useful solution.
5. Prepare for emergencies
Calamities like fire, floods, or earthquakes do not come announced. So it’s always a good idea to be well-prepared beforehand.
Make sure your office building has a fire exit and fire extinguishers placed at strategic points. In case there has been any damage to the office supplies or the building, there should be compensation lawyers to take care of the legal problems.
Anticipate natural disasters by checking the weather reports and social media alerts. Teach all your staff to follow the emergency evacuation systems in a coordinated manner. Identification of potential risks to the company is crucial here.
Over to you…
As the manager of your company, the job is on you to teach and communicate with your subordinates regarding the importance of workplace safety protocols. Identify any kind of threat that can harm your employees and try to eliminate those threats as efficiently as possible.
If required, you can even set up a meeting with the board to discuss safety protocols and introduce changes, if any. Being aware of your surroundings is extremely important, so be sure to keep your eyes and ears open at all times. For more information, contact your local authorities to check the kind of protocols being followed.
also read: https://newstimeusa.com/5-construction-quality-checklist-you-must-be-aware-of/
