Are You and Your Employees Truly Safe at Work?

When was the last time you reviewed your office safety?

Office safety isn't just for those in businesses with obvious hazards such as construction. No matter what your business, keeping your office safe is vital not only for your employees' health and well-being, but for minimizing time lost due to accidents in the workplace.

What are some things you can do to make sure your business is safe and sound for you and your employees?

Do a Thorough Review

Office safety starts with a thorough review of your business environment, taking note of any and all potential hazards, so you can devise a plan to minimize or eliminate them.

Some of the key areas to check include:

• Walkways - are they clear of slip trip or fall hazards?
• Work areas - are there hazards such as boxes lying out, wires across the floors, or desk draws left open?
• Corners and doorways - are there sharp corners or swing doors that could cause a collision?
• Equipment - is equipment kept in good working order?
• Safety procedures - are there clear safety procedures in place and are your employees educated about them?
• Storage - are stored items easy to retrieve without the need for climbing, heavy lifting, or reaching for stacked items?
• Kitchen areas - is the kitchen kept clean and safe, with appropriate oven and microwave safe items and oven mitts for handling hot dishes?
  

Create and Maintain a Safe Environment

Once you've assessed the safety in your office, turn your mind to creating and maintaining a safe environment.

As well as the items outlined above, pay attention to the physical structure around you.

Your office should have adequate lighting (including good natural light where possible), heating and ventilation. Floors should be clear of obstructions. Use non slip mats and visibility tape where necessary, such as on areas that are at risk of becoming slippery, or stair edges.

Make Safety Part of Your Business

To keep your office safe and secure, make safety a regular task, just as you would with housekeeping or budgeting.

Just as the article "3 Ways Technology Makes Home Inspection More Efficient" points out that technology can make regular home inspections easier, so the same is true of your business. Technology can be used to schedule business safety reviews and maintenance tasks, to ensure you never fall behind on business safety.

Match the Equipment to the Task

Using the wrong equipment for the task is a common safety risk.

That doesn't just apply to power tools or industrial machinery. In an office environment, making sure employees are using the right equipment is important for maintaining safety.

That includes checking that desks, chairs, keyboards and mouse mats are good quality and sufficient to the task at hand.

Injuries related to computer use and postures are common in the workplace and can lead to time off sick for employees and a drop in productivity for you.

Educate and Involve Your Employees

Make office safety everyone's business with regular meetings, in-house education and useful information.

You might consider hiring a trainer to talk to your employees about safety.

Make everyday safety everyone's business by encouraging employees to be responsible for their immediate work area, spills such as in the kitchen, and items such as bags or boxes.

Make safety a team effort and it will become part of the daily fabric of your business.

Keeping your office safe and sound helps you to maintain a more productive environment and prevent costly accidents in the future.

Make safety a priority today and schedule regular checks for the future to keep you and your employees’ safe at work.