Making Workplace Health and Safety a Priority

Paying attention to health and safety in the workplace isn’t just something you do to avoid getting fined by OSHA (that’s the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration). It’s part of fulfilling your legal obligations, but it also makes good business sense. 

Well-rested, safe workers are productive workers who will spend less time out of the office for doctor visits or recovering from on-the-job injuries, meaning lower costs overall and happier employees who will want to stay with your company longer.

• Fewer accidents and injuries

By prioritizing workplace health and safety, your company will have fewer accidents and injuries. As a result, your employees will be more productive, morale will increase, employee turnover rates will drop, worker’s compensation costs will decrease, it’ll be easier to find new employees since the word will spread about how great the company is to work for. 

This also implies that you will have fewer workers on disability or vacation due to workplace injuries.

• Improved morale

Studies have found that improving workplace health and safety not only makes a company more profitable, but it also increases morale by creating a happier work environment. Employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, stay in those jobs longer, and find new ways to improve the company’s productivity. 

Plus, workers who feel safe at work are more productive than their counterparts who don’t. 

A study from the Harvard Business Review found that when employees believed they had some degree of control over their physical safety, they were 12% more productive on average.  In addition, they’re better able to focus on tasks while minimizing distractions. 

When they know that management is invested in keeping them healthy and happy.  For exa,mple by providing programs like smoke-free workplaces, they’re less likely to worry about getting injured on the job or develop health conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure as a result of stress.

• Reduced workers’ compensation costs

Some companies may not realize the benefits of prioritizing workplace health and safety, but they could save a significant amount on workers’ compensation costs. 

However, if more companies prioritize workplace health and safety, the huge sums spent on compensations will decrease. Furthermore, having a strong culture of accountability can reduce the chances of accidents happening in the first place. 

Additionally, employers who prioritize workplace health and safety can foster a better environment for employees to thrive in by reducing their exposure to risk factors.

Employers should be sure to implement sound policies for keeping their employees safe at work by focusing on: 

1. Policies related to risk management and prevention
2. Policies related to hazardous materials
3. A program for monitoring potential risks
4. Environmental safeguards

• Improved company image

When you prioritize the health and safety of your employees, you’ll see an improved company image. You’ll be seen as a responsible employer who cares about the well-being of their workers. Additionally, workplace accidents can cause expensive lawsuits that put your company at risk. 

Setting up a workplace safety policy will help prevent these types of disasters from happening in the first place! For example, your office might have a designated meeting space where everyone is required to take turns sitting on the designated chair which is carefully padded to reduce back pain. With this little adjustment, you could prevent lower back pain without even trying.

• Increased productivity

Training in workplace health and safety can boost productivity by reducing the number of accidents that happen on the job and is offered by companies like Howlett Health and Safety. And, when employees understand what is expected of them in terms of safety, it makes for a happier work environment.

One study found that workplaces with a strong focus on occupational health and safety had 10% higher productivity than those without one. Employees who have received training are more likely to take preventive measures to protect themselves from injury or illness. 

For example, they might wear a hard hat while working near high-voltage power lines. They also know how to respond if they do get injured or sick on the job: Seek first aid treatment, get medical attention as soon as possible, contact their supervisor and/or employer as soon as possible to report the incident, and file an accident report after the incident occurred.