Employers are required by law to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable. While in some work environments this may mean extensive control measures, almost every workplace from an office to a construction site will have simple changes that can be made to reduce the risk of accidents occurring. This is what we will be looking at in this blog!
Keep reading for our top tips on simple ways to make your workplace safer.
1. Assess potential risks in your workplace
You don’t have to work in a dangerous environment to require a risk assessment – an assessment of risk can be as simple as identifying areas where people may trip, or where liquid is likely to be spilled – such as a break area.
Once you’ve identified the risks you can put measures in place, like ensuring drawers are closed to prevent trips, or ensuring spills are cleaned in a timely manner.
2. Have suitable flooring
Make sure your flooring is suitable for your workplace – in some cases this may mean a floor that is easy to clean, a floor that is likely to get wet often that will not become unduly slippery, or a carpet that provides plenty of grip.
3. Keep electrical cords out of the way
Avoid trailing cords through areas where people are likely to walk, as they are trip hazards that can be easily missed. Additionally, being regularly walked over can cause them to wear down faster and become damaged.
4. Inspect cords and equipment regularly
Inspect electrical equipment visually to check for any obvious damage. For example, frayed and cracked cables should be easily spotted, and if seen should be taken out of use until it can be replaced or repaired by a qualified person. Do not attempt to temporarily fix this yourself, as exposed live wires can cause shocks and may even start a fire.
5. Ensure access to cleaning supplies
Your workplace should be regularly cleaned, and there should be a process in place for larger spills and messes. However, for small accidents you should ensure that cleaning supplies are available for your workers to clean minor spills – such as a glass of water or some food dropped on the floor!
6. Encourage good housekeeping
Encourage your workers to pay attention to their workspace and report any potential hazards, such as faulty equipment, and to contribute to keeping the workplace tidy and hazard-free by cleaning up after themselves.
7. Ensure workers have the correct footwear
Make sure your workers have suitable footwear for the environment they’ll be working in. This may change depending on their schedule or the day – for example, our consultants will sometimes wear shoes appropriate for the office, but sometimes will be seen wearing safety boots on site!
8. Look out for electrical ‘warning signs’
Electrical equipment have warning signs of dysfunction beyond visual damage. For example, it may make an unusual noise, feel hot, or produce smoke. If you notice any of these signs, do not use the item and instruct others to do the same.
9. Consider organisational factors in your workplace
Consider how work is structured in your workplace. Are there any areas that are prone to becoming crowded? Any times when people are rushing around? Factors such as these could cause trips and falls, so look at ways you could restructure this.
10. Ensure your workplace is properly maintained
Regular cleaning, fixing faulty equipment and leaks, and general tidying can help reduce many kinds of hazards in the workplace. Take a look around your workspace and identify any ‘problem areas‘ where people could slip, bump into things, or hurt themselves on equipment.
We’re currently running a 10% off deal on our Electrical Safety, Fire Safety, Fire Wardens and Slips, Trips & Falls training courses until the end of September. Simply enter the code ‘maintenance10’ at checkout to save!
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