Hazards are commonplace in many work environments, but especially in industrial workplaces and warehouses. As such, here at Airmatic Ltd we know important it is that a high-risk environment has a safety program in place in order to help curb these risks. Doing this will ensure that your business gains the full reward of having a safety program in place.
So, how do you go about creating an effective and comprehensive workplace safety program for your business?
Commit
The first step to having an effective safety program in your work environment is to commit to one in the first place. It is easy to assume safety will come naturally, but when something does go wrong you could be held liable if no precautions were actively made. So, avoid this potential danger to your business by committing to creating a program at the outset.
Risk Assessment
Identifying what actually poses a risk in your workplace is the next logical step when creating a safety program. What dangers are there in your warehouse, factory, etc? How should your employees navigate them effectively in order to avoid harm?
There is no law that means you have to eliminate every risk – which would be an impossible task – but, you must make safety accommodations as far as reasonably possible. Look in particular at:
- Workshop layout and furniture related hazards.
- Hazards that come as a result of work activity, such as sparks from a machinery.
- Environmental factors such as chemicals and dust.
Set the Process in Stone
Once you have identified a hazard, a written process of what it is and how to detail it must be made. This is something you should be able to refer back to at any point and also give to new employees that enter your workforce. A written process removes the likelihood of misinterpretation and fault on your part.
It is important to set a number of safety programs in place, such as:
- Respiratory Hazards
- Emergency Plans
- Electrical Safety
- Hearing Conservation
- Fire Prevention and Escape Plans
- Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Plan
Educate
Once a safety program has been created, it is important to inform and educate all current employees about its particulars. Training is integral to help prevent employee injury and should be a priority. Every employee should retrain at appropriate intervals – particularly for high risk or dangerous work.
Some activities in your workplace may also have to be limited to certain employees that are classed as “certified” or “qualified”. Check local and national standards for individual requirements, then ensure each employee meets it if working with certain equipment or environmental standards.
Evaluate
If an incident does occur, then it is important that a thorough investigation and reflection is made. To determine what went wrong and how you can better change your safety program in order to be more effective in the future.
This also means conducting a yearly re-evaluation of the overall workplace safety, making changes and adjustments where necessary.
For more information on how specialist equipment – such as acoustic enclosures or fume extraction systems – can help your safety program, simply fill out our contact form. Or call our team on 0161 764 4004.