How can workplace safety be ensured by employers?

The onus of workplace safety falls on the shoulders of the employer, and the merits of taking up this responsibility with élan will be seen in the areas of production and quality control. As people become conscious of sticking to safety measures while carrying out their jobs.

An employer’s safety and health management plan will detail how to prevent injuries and illnesses at his workplace. Every employer’s safety system will be unique – a reflection of the specific measures he will take to ensure the workers in his organization stay safe and healthy.

For a safety system to be effective, employers must include it as part of their overall business operation.

The recipe for a successful safety system: commitment from managers, involvement from employees, a system to identify and control hazards, compliance with OSHA regulations, training on safe work practices, and mutual respect, caring and communication in an environment promoting safety.

Commitment first

Employers must have safety incorporated into their business plan and go about it in a full-fledged manner. They should commit time and resources required to maintain safety at the workplace. Emphasize the importance of safety by starting off meetings with a safety message, have regular safety campaigns, and actively respond to any unsafe workplace practices brought to their notice.

Employees must feel part of your safety program

Set up a vibrant workplace safety committee. Assign individual employees the task of conducting daily safety inspections in the course of their duties, and keep employees posted about safety updates. While establishing a transparent process if an employee has to report a hazard or injury, also recognize employees who contribute to safety.

Find out and cure the hazards

Identifying risks is important if you need to control it. This can be done by scanning records of accidents or injuries at the workplace, reviewing OSHA logs, first aid logs, workers’ compensation reports, complaints and close calls, studying the OHSA regulations related to your workplace and other ways. Once the ills are identified, prioritize the hazards you find, and make a plan for correcting the hazards by engineering controls like safe tools, facilities and equipment, administrative controls which will reduce exposure by changing work practices like rotating workers, etc. and giving workers’ personal protective equipment like gloves or safety shoes.

Comply with regulations

Employers must identify the OSHA regulations that apply to their workplace and comply with them. Impact Safety which is a comprehensive safety source for businesses in all industries and fields looking to reduce risk, protect assets, and create a safe, compliant work environment, has put together a group of safety and health professionals. They have practical experience in OSHA compliance, OSHA safety training, fire protection, hazardous materials and confined space entry and confined space rescue.

Train the Employees

Teach and train the employees on the dangers they could face on the job, and how they should keep themselves safe. All records of the training must be kept intact. Training should involve general safety orientation for new jobs including safety regulations and emergency procedures and specific training (many OHSA standards include specific training requirements) and more.

Create a safety cultureSo much importance to safety must be given to create a culture where employees are concerned about the safety of their co-workers as well as their own safety. Management should address all safety issues immediately, and workers must be acknowledged for their safety diligence. When safety becomes an organizational value, employees feel well-cared for.Review your safety program regularlyUse OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet to find out how you are doing. Evaluate your injury and illness statistics, evaluate the effectiveness of your training and more. Be vigilant and progress.

Contact the expert: Impact Safety

With rising costs and shrinking budgets, companies are turning to Impact Safety to maintain a high standard of safety excellence with our customized solutions. Whether it is a one-time service or a long lasting relationship, our delivers exceptional service.

We provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and comply with standards, rules, and regulations issued under the OSH Act. Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable OSHA standards. Make sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment and properly maintain this equipment. Our uniqueness lies in our quickness and flexibility, our specialty in hands-on OSHA compliance training at our OSHA training centers and our combination of industrial safety and emergency response which allows us to provide our clients with unmatched specialized service.

Impact Safety is providing companies compliance and safety training at its Osha Education Center enabling them to maintain a high standard of safety excellence at the workplace.