Workplace Safety Tips

Workplace Safety Tips To Promote Safety In The Office

Accidents happen in the office, not as frequent compared to the shop floor maybe but when it does, it is just as serious. Tripping, slipping, and falling ranks second to automobile accidents nationwide. Well okay it did not all happen in the office. Accidents of this nature happening in the office are a big part of incidences though. The good part is that most of these are prevented from happening with a few simple tools and reminders.

Keep the walkway clear.
Boxes and bundles, cables, wires and items carelessly piled are tripping hazards. Most times, these are just oops events, other times they are not.

Look before you sit.
Incidents of someone missing the seat often promote silent giggles but this actually could happen to anyone who would not take the time to reach for the chair before sitting down. Leaning back on the chair could end with your back to the floor. This is common to people who are thinking or are trying to reach something, misjudging balance. The person may pick himself or herself up as quietly as possible with nothing serious but an injured ego, sometimes though it does not end up as happily.

Even with all the computerization in the office, filing cabinets are still in much use.
Nothing very wrong here except that filing cabinets are heavy. Opening all drawers of the cabinet at the same time tips the balance of the cabinet towards you. Likewise, leaving a drawer open is a bump waiting to happen.

Don’t read while walking.
No one saved impressive time by reading while walking, yet this is a very common practice dumb and true. If you have to read while walking, be sure that no one is doing the same thing that you do. If you must, do not walk into the direction of the coffee station.

Don’t carry anything higher than your eye level.
Carrying loads higher than the eye level impresses no one. See how people refuse to walk towards you?

Do not run, relax.
Running may save a few seconds, after that you will take a breather for several minutes more.

Refrain from putting anything atop cabinets.
Cabinet drawers are for storing supplies. The top of the drawers is not.

Use the handrails.
Stairway handrails have its reason for being. Use it. People who do not use the handrail tire easy.

Use the elevator whenever necessary.
When carrying loads, wait for the elevator. The stairs are not worth the extra calories that you will burn.

Watch where you step.
Smooth surfaces are not always safe surfaces to step on especially in darkened aisles. Water could be dripping. Be safe. As they used to say, watch your step, this is truer when there is poor lighting.

Don’t eat at your workstation and in front of your computer.
Eating in the workplace saves time. Be sure though that it is not done near computers and other electrical equipment. Accidents caused by water must be avoided at all cost.

Other simple measures that are taken that could go a long way in promoting workplace safety is reporting unsafe conditions, loose steps, burned out lights, defective equipment, overloaded sockets, hay caramba! The list is long. The benefits though are immense.

The Importance of Safety Signs in the Workplace

Safety signs are largely associated with legal requirements rather than providing any practical purpose. In fact, some signs become so well known that we often ignore the true message underneath, so why is there still such a pressure for employers to ensure they have adequate signage throughout the workplace? Actually, safety signs play a real practical role in preventing injury and ensuring staff are aware of the dangers and hazards awaiting them at given points in the workplace. Without them, many employees would lack essential direction in times of crisis, and employers might find themselves in significant legal difficulties if any accidents were to arise as a result.

Safety signs are often seen as part of the bureaucratic process rather than a practically important safety tool. But this isn’t necessarily the case. Safety signs can provide an initial warning to staff as to dangers. Imagine the scenario of a construction site. A new employee on his first day is unaware of the various dangers of a construction environment, yet finds no signage to guide him through his employment. This is simply a minefield of danger, and without safety signs in place, that employee would be very lucky to remain safe throughout the course of his first day. In environments where danger lurks around every corner, having adequate and clear safety signs can help advise staff of the pending dangers and ultimately instil caution when it is required most.

Safety signs are also of great importance in workplaces which come into close contact with the general public. Where workman are employed in a road excavation, or in a scaffolding project, it is crucial to ensure that no harm is caused to the general public during the efforts. One way to help best ensure this is by employing clear safety signs to warn the public to exercise caution as they go. This helps keep the employer out of trouble as well as acting as a safeguard for the public, allowing a smoother interaction between dangerous employment environments and the ordinary thoroughfare.

Safety signs might not seem the most interesting topic of conversation, but they really are essential in the fight against danger and risk in the workplace. By ensuring your workplace is sufficiently well signed, you can help protect the staff and visitors to the site, particularly members of the public, against the imminent dangers that could otherwise go unnoticed, leading to less industrial accidents and helping to reduce the risk to employees and ordinary people.

Not only through living up to legal requirements, the positioning of safety signs in the workplace can be of critical importance in ensuring a healthy and safe workforce for increased productivity without the misfortune and hassle of staff injury and legal proceedings. As an employee, safety signs are the first port of call in response to any injury, be it to staff or the general public, and they can also help create a safer environment for both groups where danger meets everyday life, such as city-centre construction sites and excavations.

Every employee has a responsibility to keep themselves and their colleagues safe from harm. Safety Signs around the workplace are used to warn your employees or provide information on hazards which they may face. This DVD will provide your employees with information on what safety signs are and what they can expect to see on them. The DVD looks in detail at different forms of signs including: * Prohibition Signs * Hazard Signs * Mandatory Signs * Fire Equipment Signs * Safe Condition Signs An ideal training tool to ensure that your employees are fully aware of their surroundings and the safety precautions they must take. The pack comes complete with 10 Understanding Safety Signs Booklets and 50 Workplace Risk Assessment Forms. “Overall this DVD would be a useful addition to any health and safety manager’s video library” Health and Safety at Work magazine
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