As a business owner, the last thing you want is a lawsuit on your hands because of someone becoming injured in the workplace. Whether or not you work in a particularly dangerous environment, it’s your job to ensure that everyone is performing their roles as safely as possible. When you’ve got a large team it can be difficult to keep an eye on everyone at one time and make sure that they are following protocols set by you. That’s why we’ve created a handy guide on how to enforce safety in the workplace.
Create a handbook
One of the best ways of making sure that your staff know what they are supposed to be doing is by creating a handbook that they can refer to at any time. Giving each member of staff a copy of this will ensure that there’s no excuses as to why they weren’t following guidelines set by you. Your handbook should consist of a guide on how to carry out tasks safely, how to clean them (if relevant) and how to store dangerous pieces of equipment. You should also include any safety measures like clothing and hard hats so that there’s no risk of your staff becoming confused.
Keep spares for all machinery
Machinery can break down from time to time, and this can affect business as well as safety using it. Wherever possible, it’s a good idea to keep spares for your machinery so that you’re able to repair them and get back to business as soon as possible. Forklifts for example, are a great way of moving heavy loads from A to B. However, if they are faulty they can be dangerous to use. Keeping forklift parts available to help you swiftly mend them will keep everyone safe as well as your business running.
Install cameras
As mentioned earlier, it’s hard to keep an eye on everyone at all times. However, installing cameras around your workspace will allow you to keep an eye on everyone more easily. It will also allow you to pull up any members of staff that aren’t following safety protocols and remind them of how they should be acting. Having cameras installed will also help if a lawsuit does come into play, as you’ll be able to provide video footage. Remember to make sure your staff know they are on camera.
Make sure everyone has up to date training
Finally, you can’t expect someone to do something safely without the correct training, and if your staff members haven’t received the right training, that’s your fault. Make sure that all members of staff are regularly trained to the latest standards with each piece of machinery or equipment so that you can avoid any injuries or lawsuits.