Why workplace safety is important? There is more to this question than one think.
Workplace safety is very important for each and every employee in the industry because all the workers desire to work in a safe and protected atmosphere. Health and safety is the key factor for all the industries in order to promote the wellness of both employees and employers. It is a duty and moral responsibility of the company to look after the employee’s protection.
Each and every person who leaves his home for his work in the morning should come back to his home in evening in good health. Have you ever imagined that your loved one will never be returning home? Or you get a call that he/she is in the hospital due to some incident occurred? These thoughts only get us goose bumps. This is the only reason that why it is important to create a safe working environment.
These days, workplace health and safety procedures are important for the well-being of both employees and employers because human loss is immeasurable and intolerable. As, such loss or injuries can employ major loss to the families.
All the industries do have safety risks but the management should devote their time to think and strategize the things that what safety precautions are required in their company to make sure that their workers are safe enough for all the time. Also, the management should confirm with all the workers related to their daily work and comfort. So, that the management can take the same step according to the desired aspects of workers. This helps them in improving the productivity and quality of the products and lot more.
1. Aware about the surroundings: There are many employees who doesn’t bother about their surrounding hazards. But, it is important to observe your co-employees working circumstances. Once you get to know about the particular hazards that occur at your workplace, then it will help you in reducing the risk and allow you to take the precautionary steps.
2. Reduce workplace stress: Most of the employees are not fit and healthy because of their busy schedule, which includes long working hours, work-pressure and conflicts occur with co-workers or with the boss of the organization. And, all these can lead to some illness or depression to the employees. Also, this not only affects their professional life but also creates the nuisance in their personal lives too. So, instead of waiting to get unfit, it is better that you start take care of your health, by taking regular breaks, sit in an appropriate posture with appropriate diet. It will be better for you to schedule your work accordingly and manage the things to reduce your workplace stress.
3. Use tools appropriately: Take appropriate precautions while using machinery or any other tool, instead of taking any shortcuts. Taking shortcuts is one of the biggest reason behind workplace loss. It’s a biggest safety risk to use scaffolding as a ladder or one tool instead of another for a particular job. So, it is always recommended to use the correct tools and reduce the opportunity of workplace injury.
4. Keep crisis exits which are easily accessible: In case there is an emergency, you will need quick access to the exits. It is also advised to keep clear usage of equipment shutoffs which might stop you from performing at emergency.
5. Update Your Supervisor about the unsafe conditions: It is important that you keep updating your supervisor about the hazards or risks occur at workplace. They should be legally obligated to ensure that their employees are working a safe environment or not. And, in case, if the employees are not working in safe conditions, then it is the responsibility of the supervisor to listen and understand their condition and create safe working environment for employees.
6. Use mechanical assistance: Whenever, you want to carry or lift up some heavy equipment’s then you should use a conveyor belt, crank or forklift. There are lot of risks involved, if you try to lift something which is heavier, it can affect your weighing capability and can lead to some muscle displacement. So, make sure that use the appropriate tools for not harming yourself.
7. Stay Alert: There are many employees who usually compromise or ignore the alerts of advance warning and due to this, a number of workplace injuries or fatalities occur.
8. Reduce Workplace Environment Stress: Stress to any employee or to any co-worker, can lead into depression and into concentration problems. And the main reason includes, extended working hours, excess of work, insecurity of job and issues which occur at co-workers or professionals. So, instead of taking stress on your shoulders, you should discuss it with your supervisor and ask him/her to look after your problems which you are facing in the organization.
9. Wear the right safety equipment’s: It is essential that you wear the right protection equipment tools during your work. And, the equipment’s can be in any form like, earplugs, earmuffs, hard hats, gloves, full-face masks, safety gloves and any other equipment which is required to wear while working. These tools will prevent the workers from the incidents that occur at workplace.
10. Sit in a proper posture: If have a sitting job, then it is essential than keep your posture correct, while working on a desk. You need to keep your shoulders in line and straight back to avoid any spine problem. Try to ignore stooping and twisting regularly and if possible, then try to use the comfort designed furniture and the safety equipment’s, so that the desired things will be in your reach.
Safety is one of the biggest issue and it is completely the responsibility of the mangers and the business owners to make sure that their employees are working in safe environment or not. The management should make sure that they keep on motivating and boosting the employees to make them active in the working process.
There should be an appropriate discussions done about the work and the culture of the office on regular intervals, so that the management remain aware that how they simplify the things for the employee’s comfort. Also, to motivate the workers, management should provide rewards as an appreciation towards their work. Thus, these only steps will make your workplace very secure and safe for the employees to work.
Adapted from: https://bastionsafe.medium.com/top-10-reasons-why-workplace-safety-is-important-8797c978e1f9