Training and Safety – Keeping your team

Safe
Workplace healthy and safety practices aren’t just about staying on the right side of federal rules and
regulations., Tthese procedures have been proven to drive cost reductions, improve employee
engagement, and enhance product quality throughout organizations. OSHA statistics estimate that
unintentional workplace injuries cost U.S businesses an estimated $146.6 billion in medical costs,
insurance, compensatiocompensationsnal, lost productivity and property damage,; every year.

While these figures might sound galling to senior managers, they can easily be minimized by integrating
safety best practice guidelines and policies into the company culture.; whether it’s at the office, or on
the factory floor.

Training
Health and safety training is a regular part of most employee induction routines, but after paying initial
lip service to these ideals , usually with a focus on country-relevant legislation; most lessons aren’t
reinforced in the actual workplace itself.

Employees should be provided with written instructions that notify them of safe work procedures
relevant for their role, for example:

 Correct posture and technique for heavy lifting in the case of warehouse staff
 A focus on the use of suitable tools and mechanical aids where necessary (forklifts,
wheelbarrows, conveyor belts)
 Guidelines on the use of medical and laboratory equipment such as safety glasses, earplugs,
earmuffs, hard hats and gloves
 Identification of possible areas for risk and hazard within the workplace.
 Reporting procedure for unsafe working practices noted.

Communicate Guidelines Early and Often

A safe working environment starts from the top-down it is ’s your job as manager’s job to follow safety
guidelines as written, and challenge any incidences of unsafe behavior as they occur. Briefings on safety
guidelinesregulations, updates, and occasions for concern need to become a regular part of project
team meetings. By iIdentifying safety leaders within their teams, managers can ease the implementation
of new health and safety procedures at a ground level, with the help of senior staff members teams
trained to take that can take responsibility in situations whenre guidelines are being breached.
Assess Risks
Vital equipment, tools and infrastructure needs to be checked routinely to ensure safety and condition.
Managers must mMake sure that pathwayss for manually shutting down machinery, and or exiting
buildings are kept clear at all times. DMaintain detailed records of inspectionsns and safety evaluations
must be maintained at all times, as; these can be used to identify trends in healthy and safety within the
organization., Iif a system of necessary documentation is not in place,this is not the case then a serious
re-evaluation of workplace behaviors is required.

Make Sure New Recruits are Thoroughly Vetted

Even the most intuitive executive shouldn’t trust their gut when it comes to hiring. While background
checks and references from previous employers are a must for any new employee, even the interview
stage should include some questions that allow you to assess the character, honesty and
trustworthiness of a job applicant.

Have a Plan in Case of Emergency

Too often disaster recovery planning ignored the human element of unforeseen crises. Whether there is
a security incident, or a natural disaster employees should be provided with clear procedures to follow;
if necessary bring in law enforcement or fire safety officials to help teach proper awareness to your
employees.

When disasters do occur, key individuals must be identified to take on leadership positions, emergency
numbers should be provided to all employees in case they are in unsafe or hazardous situations. The
plans should be drilled on a quarterly to half-yearly basis, with an emphasis on team involvement.