It’s important for any business, whether big or small, to prioritize the safety of all employees in the workplace. Small businesses should especially take this seriously, considering that they are affected more severely compared to larger businesses, when accidents occur. Injuries sustained by workers can potentially increase insurance premiums, putting more pressure on the expenses of a company.
Methods like increasing the health budget can go a long way in ensuring that a business handles better in case of accidents. However, it’s more advisable that businesses try to prevent accidents in the first place, as that helps them avoid unnecessary hassles. Here are the best safety tips that can help you get more out of your small business:
- Involve employees
Relying on externally-provided safety standards is a good thing to do as it can contribute to workplace safety, but it shouldn’t end there. At the end of the day, your employees are more conversant about the safety concerns of a workplace than anyone else. Keep in mind that they are working every day, and as such, they know what affects them. That’s why business owners should try to understand potential hazards by encouraging them to speak out. Besides, by doing so, you help to reduce work stress, and that too can contribute to workplace safety.
- Give clear instructions
You may have heard of how employees will, at times, resort to unconventional methods such as winging it on their tasks when they don’t have enough information on what to do and how to do it. Such situations increase the chances of involvement in accidents, which is why small business owners should consider providing employees with clear workplace instructions.
- Keep the workplace clean
A messy workplace increases operational risks, and that means less safety for employees. That’s why it’s vital to conduct regular safety inspections to ensure that the workspace condition is perfect for your employees. Boxes should be stacked up, and spills cleaned as quickly as possible, messy floors repaired, and such.
- Review safety guidelines regularly
It’s normal for workplace environments to change from time to time, and this means that your safety guidelines should also be reviewed from time to time to cater for the changes. This is in consideration that workplace changes mostly involve things like introducing new equipment, bringing in new processes, hiring extra staff, and such.
- Make good use of technology
To minimize workplace risks that may lead to injuries, business owners should consider using better methods of managing and investigating the root causes of various incidents. While most organizations go for spreadsheet-based systems for this purpose, a better solution would be to use Incident Management Software for better visibility and efficiency.
- Maintain office machinery and equipment
Machines are never meant to last forever, and just like you will occasionally fall sick and require treatment, machines will also require frequent repairs to keep them working efficiently. Keep in mind that as machinery breaks down, it becomes less safe for workers. Besides, worn-out equipment can tempt employees to add their modifications to keep the machines working – that increases the operational risk even more.
- Conduct risk assessment
This method goes a long way in reducing operational risk, hence lowering the chances of an accident. A cross-border risk assessment, for example, can be used in identifying risks in a unique way. This method is all about employees from different departments running each other’s audit for risk identification. That’s in consideration that a new set of eyes can see things differently, hence curbing risks early enough.
It’s the responsibility of every employer to protect their employees and ensure that they have a safe working space. The good thing with the tips discussed above is that they are easy to use even for small businesses. Besides, they go a long way in ensuring that you get the best out of your small business, as you won’t have to deal with avoidable accident cases.
