We all want a safe and productive workplace. We might think we’re tackling all the greatest concerns, but the truth is that one of the most seemingly innocent can also be one of the most expensive. The simple act of walking where we shouldn’t or things being in our way when they shouldn’t are leading causes of slips, trips, and falls. We’ve all experienced a bump at one point or another. They might not seem all that big a deal but they are the number one justification for claims against businesses. The following steps are simple precautions to ensure they’re not being made against yours.
Set some standards
The leading cause of slips, trips, and falls is the failure to fully maintain the workplace. When creating a safe work environment, the standards of tidiness within that workplace has to be one of the top concerns. Plan ahead, knowing the resources and cleaning methods you need. If you don’t hire cleaners, then assign responsibilities on a rota to ensure they’re always kept on top of. Make it part of a daily program so standards never become sub-standard.
Mark your walkways
People being where they shouldn’t and things being where they shouldn’t are a big part of the risk, as we mentioned. You can use tape to mark walkways where inventory, papers, and other resources shouldn’t be placed as they can provide a risk. To keep people from walking into high-risk areas, you can use safety swing gates and signage to keep them ever aware of their environment. If you deal with heights, chemicals or heavy machinery in the business, marking off those areas is crucial.
The outside is your responsibility
You might think you have the workplace all settled because you have the interior well prepared. But the walkway of any outdoor areas, car parks, or directly in front of the property, can be your responsibility, too. The main concerns here are taking the time to de-ice them safely in the winter and to use arborists to take care of any potential of tree debris leading to accidents down the line.
Keep employees aware of the danger
Being a little more aware of where we’re going is a big part in helping employees stay safe, too. Semi-regular safety briefings should be a part of any company. Remember to keep them updated to seasonal concerns like walking safely on icy ground. You can go even further, as some companies do, be incentivizing better safety practices. You would think that bodily safety is a good enough reason for any person to be more aware of dangers. However, sweetening the pot a little can have real results.
Equip the property and the people
Finally, you might have to think about ensuring the environment and individuals are properly equipped to handle risks. For one, comprehensive lighting is crucial to any workplace. But you can help the individuals by investing in their first pair of worksafe boots that can drastically decrease their chances of slips, trips, and falls.
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