There are simple steps employers can take in order to ensure that the workplace is safe for employees. Taking these steps also ensures that the legal duty of care that an employer has towards employees is met. Safety in the workplace can be coordinated by the human resources department or a Workplace Health and Safety committee, if one is in existence.
Undertake regular checks of the workplace environment for hazards
On a regular basis (from monthly to 3 monthly) depending on the workplace environment, undertake a physical check of the entirety of the workplace, looking for potential hazards. This safety audit should look for possible hazards including:
- Equipment not working correctly
- Frayed cords
- Slip and fall hazards
- Quiet spots where employees can’t be seen and therefore cannot get help if ill or injured.
A tool to assist you in undertaking this check is a safety audit checklist, available for download from the internet. These checklists assist you in identifying the hazards which may exist in your workplace.
Job Hazard Analysis
As well as checking for hazards that may be present in your workplace, you should also undertake a job hazard analysis for each employee. A job hazard analysis will investigate:
- the physical hazards the employee may face;
- the employee’s attitudes towards safe work;
- whether personal protective equipment (PPE) is being used; and
- whether the employee has the skills and tools to work in a safe manner.
From the job hazard analysis the employer can determine whether a job requires additional resources in terms of human hours, tools or personal protective equipment in order to be safe or whether the worker should be physically removed from the site and placed in a more appropriate site in the workplace. Also, an employee may require training or performance counseling in order to understand the importance of safety in the workplace and their role in ensuring their own safety.
Safety Training
As part of the induction process, all new employees should undergo workplace health and safety training. At a minimum this should cover items such as who are the dedicated first aiders in the organization, where fire exits are and what procedures relating to fire and other mass building evacuations exist and who to report their concerns to about unsafe work environment or practices. Other items to be covered can include the use of personal protective equipment, stress management, how to avoid repetitive strain injury and safe lifting and ergonomic practices.
It is also a good practice for all employees to undergo safety training refreshers on a yearly basis.
Workplace health and safety is the responsibility of both employer and employee. Following simple steps, such as regular safety audits, job hazard audits, safety training and encouraging a workplace environment that values safe work practices will hopefully lead to employees being accident free and a potential lower workers’ compensation premium for the employer.
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