Workplace accidents are a regular occurrence. There were 2.8 million workplace injuries in 2019.
They spanned across industries, and more than 888,000 of these injuries caused workers to miss at least one day of work.
Workplace safety is an important issue because it is a costly one. If you’re looking to make workplace safety a priority, you need to start with a safety checklist.
Read on to learn the steps you need to take to make your workplace a safe one for all of your employees.
1. Have a Workplace Safety Audit
A workplace safety audit reveals the weaknesses and threats to your workers. Start by understanding the risks and categorize them.
The most common hazards that safety audits cover are environmental, ergonomic, chemical, and biological. You and a couple of other employees will go through the entire workplace to uncover hazards.
As you come across safety hazards, communicate these hazards to employees. Follow up and let them know how they will be addressed and eliminated.
2. Create a Safety Policy
A workplace safety policy is a key part of a workplace safety culture. A policy addresses all of the safety threats you learned in the safety audit.
You can also get a clear idea from your employees. Get their input as you create the policy. They’ll give you ideas and feedback to create a comprehensive policy. Be sure to implement their ideas, because you’ll lose trust if you don’t.
The policy should cover safety gear, such as hearing protection, and where to get custom safety apparel. You’ll outline what needs to be worn on the job.
A workplace policy also has to address safety regulations laid out by OSHA and other agencies. Make sure to provide adequate training to employees on a regular basis.
3. Write Up Workplace Safety Checklists
You’re going to need more than one workplace safety checklist. There should be a checklist for daily and monthly inspections.
Daily inspections include floor conditions, entrances, and exit obstructions, stair handrails, and lighting. Monthly inspections of equipment, amenities, and emergency items are necessary. Till the time the machinery is under maintenance or repair, use the LOTO locks.
There should be checklists related to your company. For instance, if your company regularly handles biowaste or hazardous chemicals, there should be checklists for the handling and disposal of these materials.
Don’t forget to create checklists in case a worker is hurt on the job. They should have a checklist of actions to take. HR needs to have checklists to take the injury report and inform the worker’s compensation insurance company for more information.
A Safety Checklist Helps You Take Workplace Safety Seriously
Your workers should have to feel like they’re putting their lives on the line just to earn a paycheck. They are ready to work hard for your company, but you have to show them that you take workplace safety seriously.
Hopefully, you learned the steps to create a safety checklist that covers all of the needs of your business. Follow them, and you’ll have a workplace culture that thrives.
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