A Few Workplace Safety Tips

Keeping safe in the office or factory has never been of more importance. The simple truth is that Whilst the workforce could be in danger of of injury, companies are susceptible to being reported to industrial tribunals, specifically when considering the rising number of personal injury solicitors. According to reports from the Rspoa (the royal society for the prevention of accidents) close to 1.6 million company injuries happen in england every 12 months, nonetheless in so many cases these injuries may well have been avoided quite easily.

There is no doubt that a less risky working environment is good for everybody. By taking up a few basic procedures it’s straightforward for both staff and businesses to improve safety in the workplace.

Understand your local health and safety regulations

For a few specific types of industries, such as those involved in the production of volatile chemicals, keeping aware of complex safety legislation is of utmost importance. Nevertheless safety legislation of some form is binding on most businesses. The best step for any business is to check with the Health and Safety Executive. They are answerable for improving awareness of the range of health and safety legislation that applies to workplaces in Great britain.

Slips and falls

These are commonly occuring in any place of work derive pleasure typical office to heavy industry. Look out for damaged flooring surfaces, steps, dangerous holes, trailing electric cables; the list is never-ending. Try to ensure that you do away with risks wherever it is possible. Have in mind the importance of warning signs, a dripping floor may look shiny but it is extremely dangerous. In addition why not consider suitable lighting to keep the area well illuminated, as inadequate lighting can cause a hazard being overlooked.

Don’t forget ergonomics

You will always consider your work environment from an ergonomic viewpoint. If we take an typical office setting for instance – make sure that office desks are at the appropriate height, computer screens are not too close and chairs provide satisfactory lower back support.

Be careful moving equipment

It is extremely important to estimate the extent of the task, load and situation before moving any object or equipment great or small, light or weighty. A massive number of injuries take place each year as a result of physical handling. Your individual capabilities and limitations will dictate comfort zones for lifting objects. Don’t forget to adopt the correct posture, don’t strain too hard and request help to lift a heavy or bulky object.

Stress reduction

Stress is amongst the most common occurances occupational risks, it represents almost a fifth of all reported occupational health issues. Good mental health is just as important as good physical health. Look after the ‘whole person’, not just the body, perhaps acquire some relaxation techniques. If you feel you have too much on your plate, you are absolutely within your rights to ask your superiors assistance. Don’t forget, it won’t hurt you to be a few hours late.

Conduct risk assessments

Risk Assessments are a marvellous method of preventing accidents before they happen. One top technique is to undertake cross-departmental risk assessments, where employees from different departments in an organisation audit one another. A fresh pair of eyes may often see things another way, furthermore it gets people from different departments working in concert.

Get organised

Spending a little time organising your workload can be really useful, yet it is easily forgotten, particularly during hectic periods of time when it is more important than ever! On a daily basis try and plan what you want to finish. Try to keep it reachable though – have the targets too high and you will merely add to your problems.

Vary tasks

This is especially vital for someone performing repetitive tasks over sustained periods of time, such as working on assembly lines or data entry, as it avoids Repetitive strain injuries. See if there is an alternative job which might be done instead, remember, variety is the spice of life.

By following these simple bits of advice, you can keep both staff and businesses safe, in good health and efficient.

Workplace safety tips
According to The Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace driving accidents cost employers an average of $ 60 billion annually.
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Chopper’s Occupational Health and Safety tips for a safe working environment

Using Video To Communicate Workplace Safety

More than ever before, occupational health and safety has become a major priority in almost every Australian workplace. It has become the mantra for many government-advertising campaigns that “every employee has the right to return home safely” and how “ it is the responsibility of both employers and employees to ensure a safe workplace”.

Organisations must, by law, ensure that their employees are adequately trained to perform at their job in the safest way possible and that particular occupational health and safety policies are adhered to.

Depending on the organisation, the employees involved, the information that is to be communicated – there is a multitude of different communication pathways that can be taken to deliver a message of workplace safety. It can be as simple as an OHS trainer standing in front of a group, or perhaps a group discussion, or role play.  Technology such as powerpoint, video or e-learning programs can be used as either the main training tool or as an aid to reinforce the spoken message.

Unfortunately, a topic such as workplace safety can quite often fall on deaf ears.  For some people, the thought of discussing manual handling risks or reporting near misses with a manager or colleagues would be about as exciting as watching paint dry. In many cases, it may take a serious injury or fatality, to ultimately alter the mindset of an individual or even the culture of an organisation.

However, incorporating video into a training session on safety can provide a range of benefits. These include:

1. Continuity of the message – Whether it is the induction of new staff, or conducting refresher training for existing employees, using video to deliver the message will ensure that every trainee receives exactly the same message, the same way. That way everyone is on the “same page”, which is an important component to an organisation’s ability to to comply with legislation and achieve a health and safe environment.

2. A picture tells a thousand words. In most instances, video can deliver a message far more efficiently and effectively than the spoken word alone, especially when trying to describe a particular action or technique.  Time is a precious commodity nowadays. Any opportunity to communicate a message more efficiently will always have a positive effect on the workplace.

3. Most importantly, video does an excellent job of conveying emotion. If the intention is to send home a message of great importance, the ability to tap into people’s emotions can be an excellent strategy. A message or idea is more likely to be remembered if it has impact. As witnessed now on many TV advertising campaigns – whether it be for safety at work, anti smoking, or safe driving – “shock value” is an approach used to not only ensure the audience receives the message, but it sneaks its way into their subconscious.

Whilst video enjoys a number of benefits in communicating safety, it is still important to realise the target audience and the actual content of the video itself. Is it relevant? Will it connect with the target audience? Does it suit the rest of the training/course material?  Does it sell the message?

If you can produce or find a video that ticks all these boxes, we suggest you have just found yourself and your workplace a great investment!