Workplace health and safety have a profound impact on your bottom line. The benefits of investing in preventative measures are significantly cheaper than the total costs associated with accidents and injuries at the workplace. Moreover, an unsafe workplace may result in negative publicity and hurt customers and stakeholders. Injured employees may also file a workers compensation claim or even a lawsuit. Finally, non-implementation of health and safety measures translates to costly fines and penalties that can affect a company’s profitability in the long run.
The good news is that there are many ways to improve health and safety in the workplace. More than compliance, you can implement strategies that will protect your greatest assets- the employees who work for your business.
Keep things clean
A messy workplace is more likely to cause unwanted accidents and injuries. It is best to perform regular audits and risk assessments to identify potential dangers in the workplace. Check electrical systems, tangled cords, damaged floors, defective equipment, and disorganised tools that are lying around in the office. For any electrical concerns, it’s crucial to hire a trusted and reliable commercial electrician Perth to ensure all systems are functioning safely and efficiently. You may also want to hire a commercial electrician or an electrical engineer to inspect your workplace’s electrical systems. Maintaining a clean workplace also means ensuring excellent air quality for you and your employees. Installing natural ventilation via electric window openers equipped with smart window controls encourages the continuous entry of clean air. Establishing a natural ventilation system is also an affordable way to maintain good indoor air quality without relying too much on the air conditioning system.
Implement safety protocols and systems
Establishing a healthy and safe workplace begins with installing various systems, such as natural ventilation systems, flood prevention programs, smoke ventilation systems, and an emergency response plan. For instance, integrating a smoke ventilation system will ensure employees’ speedy and safe evacuation in case of fire. An emergency response plan will give you a more efficient way to deal with various emergencies, such as earthquakes, typhoons, and other calamities. Consider the implementation of processes to protect employees from hazardous behaviours too. This can be policy regarding the use of drugs or alcohol or it might be using a saliva drug test and performing checks on your employees using reasonable suspicion. By doing this, you can eliminate behaviour in employees which can lead to reckless action that leads to an accident, harming themselves, another employee or company property. Hiring qualified professionals to assist you in developing a comprehensive health and safety strategy tailored to your needs is recommended, as they’ll have intimate knowledge of the law surrounding health and safety and be able to advise you on how to remain compliant.
Collaborate with occupational experts
Working with occupational medicine clinicians will provide you and your employees with a wealth of knowledge about workplace injury and prevention tips. It is also best to utilise an occupational health software program that will enable you to identify areas at high risk for employee accidents and injuries. Finally, collaborate with physical and occupational therapists to enhance office ergonomics to boost employee productivity, wellness, and overall performance.
Conduct regular meetings focusing on workplace safety
It is the responsibility of employers to protect their employees by providing a safe, healthy, and positive workplace. With this in mind, it is best to schedule regular meetings to review existing safety rules and discuss ways to keep the workplace safe and healthy for employees. In addition, keep an open dialogue and listen to the concerns and suggestions of employees regarding their safety and health concerns.
Final thoughts
The health and safety of your workforce should never be an after-thought. The success of your enterprise relies heavily on the level of peace of mind and satisfaction of your employees. By implementing these strategies, you can rest assured of realising all your goals and further growth with the help of happy and healthy employees.
