With a new year, comes a new resolution. For many, safety awareness is a top priority and for those who have already fostered an environment geared to maximize employee welfare, the resolution is to maintain this progress. However, some organizations are hoping to get back on track or find the right path to revamp their workplace safety. For those that hope to continue their success or for others wishing to make the New Year count, here are some tips to enhance workplace in 2016 and achieve those safety resolutions:
Take Breaks!
Taking breaks does not make any worker lazy or unable. Taking breaks should be encouraged to optimize productivity. In many environments, employees are reluctant to take breaks and thus work themselves too hard. The results are often negative, make it a resolution to work smarter and not harder in 2016.
Revitalize Safety Training
A lack of safety training increases the likelihood of accidents. Safety training should always be a priority, never an option. With a new year, comes new narratives and methodologies geared to update and codify outdated safety practices proven to be obsolete or defective. It is essential to keep all employees from ground to top level abreast and aware of safety practices. In fact, there is no such thing as too much safety training. This practice should be immersed in the very fabric of operations and workplace culture. Start the New Year off right by implementing basic, simple yet comprehensive safety training and regimes.
Practice Emergency Preparedness
In the event of an emergency, a plan of action can assure all employees and workers are protected from potentially deadly consequences. Regardless of whether you are a laborer or executive, it is essential to be prepared for the unexpected. Instituting a general safety directive and response plan to any incident that can occur will yield rewards in the long-term. From these action plans, a course of action and a chain of command can be established and thus streamline and optimize responses in the unlikely event of a disaster or unforeseen circumstance. Knowledge is power and employees knowing what to do in a variety of emergency situations is the greatest form of protection and defense.
Reinforce Teamwork and Communication
Regardless of title or station, accountability is essential for workplace safety. When you see something being done incorrectly or wrong, say something. If something appears unsafe or hazardous, be sure to address and rectify it. Ignorance is never bliss and there is no price on the value of safety for all employees. There is no such thing as a stupid question or stepping out of line. It is important to eliminate these negative ideals and replace them with progressive ideologies that bolster and encourage employee interaction and openness.
Learn OSHA Guidelines and Standards
If you are perplexed on where to begin, OSHA has set forth a variety of guidelines and standards for various occupations. Learning these simple narratives can serve as a great foundation for improving workplace safety. In some instances, administrative personnel may not be up-to-speed or aware of what OSHA may implore in various scenarios and circumstances. Learning these protocols can pay dividends if you are starting from the ground-up.