Nearly 3 million people were injured at work in 2019.
This staggering number reflects how often injuries happen. It reflects how dangerous it can be to work in some workplaces, especially places that are more high risk than others.
This is why job safety is so important. If you own a business, you want to make sure that your employees have safety on the job. You need to conduct safety analysis worksheets, JSA, health and safety inspections, and more.
If you neglect to protect your employees and they are injured on the job, it could result in lawsuits against your business, which could potentially put you out of business.
To avoid lawsuits and potential injuries in the workplace, here are 8 key ways to protect your employees and yourself in your business.
1. It Starts With Leadership
Safety always starts with leadership. It starts with business leaders setting an example for the rest of the crew.
That means workplace leaders need to follow safety regulations and guidelines. They need to show what it means to maintain a safe workplace.
2. Be Aware of Higher Risk Work Areas
Another way to maintain your safety is to know where there is a high risk of injury.
If you are working where you have a higher potential to get injured, you should see if there is anything that can protect you on the job. That may mean doing your work a bit slower and more precisely.
It also means you have someone with you while you are completing specific tasks. You want to have someone with you in case you are injured and they can help apply first aid or call for help.
3. Have Consistent Training
Consistent training can ensure you know protocols when you are doing a job that offers more risk. You are doing something that helps minimize your risk of getting injured.
When you are continuously updated on safety training, you might become aware of new techniques to handle machinery. You might know what safety equipment to wear or what is mandatory to wear at work to maintain your safety.
Training can also help you know what to do if you are injured and how to take time off from work.
4. Wear Protective Equipment
Wearing protective equipment if it’s protective eyeglasses, gloves, or something else is helpful if you want to decrease your risk of getting injured.
You don’t want to skip out on these protocols and what’s recommended when it comes to protective clothing because it could save your life.
5. Don’t Get Overly Fatigued
If you work at a job that is at a high risk of injury, you especially want to make sure you are alert and well-rested for these jobs.
You want to make sure that you aren’t fatigued when you arrive to work. It can cause you to make errors that could cause significant injury to yourself or to someone you are working with.
You want to ensure that you are getting eight hours of sleep. You also want to make sure that you feel well enough to work and you aren’t getting sick.
6. Analyze Potentially Dangerous Situations
When you are at work, you should consider a job safety analysis worksheet. This helps you identify the type of hazards that are at work.
You are assessing your risk of getting injured. You are seeing what measures you need to take against potentially dangerous situations.
A worksheet helps you see if any potentially harmful areas are riskier than others. It also helps you classify dangerous areas that can not only be harmful to you but also your co-workers.
7. Don’t Do Something By Yourself If It’s Risky
If you’ve been at a job for a while, you may feel confident to do something yourself. You may become overconfident, which can lead to less supervision and more risk.
You should avoid doing something risky even if you have years of experience. You also want to maintain your safety by having another co-worker with you to handle these situations.
When you continue to maintain safety standards for years, you are not only maintaining your safety, but you are setting an example for new and less experienced workers to follow.
8. Know Where the Emergency Exits Are
The final way to maintain your job safety in the workplace is to know where the emergency exits are.
For example, if you work in a tight space like an office, you need to know where to exit the building. You need to know the fastest and safest way to escape the building if there is a fire or something is happening that could potentially harm you and other workers.
Another reason you need to know where emergency exits are is that if you are injured, you need to know the quickest way to get medical help.
If you have intense bleeding or another serious medical injury, you need to make sure you seek medical attention immediately.
Now You Know About Job Safety in the Workplace
Your workplace safety is of utmost importance. It can be life and death when you are doing a job and following safety protocols. You need to know how to mitigate risk when you are in a potentially dangerous workplace.
This is why this guide helps you understand job safety in the workplace. You have a better idea of how to protect yourself as well as other employees when they are in any kind of workplace.
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