The safety of employees in the workplace should always be a priority. Although there will always be safety hazards no matter what line of work you are involved in, there are ways you can mitigate occurrences of accidents and illnesses in the office.
Safety Instructions and an Evacuation Plan
As part of your office’s precautions, there should be safety signs that contain relevant instructions and information throughout the entire building. This should include the location of fire exits, how to use a fire extinguisher, and warnings in case of an emergency. These signs should be clear and concise; the instructions should be easy to follow. You can purchase fire safety signs online in the United Kingdom.
In addition, there should be an evacuation plan in place for employees in the event of a fire or earthquake. Your employees should be briefed about the protocols so that they will know what to do when the unexpected happens. Many companies conduct drills at least once a year to practice.
Proper Employee Training
Every employee must be taught how to use equipment in the workplace on their first day, especially if they will be dealing with dangerous machinery. This will ensure that no accidents will occur.
Inspect Indoor Air
Many employers may not notice a problem in the air quality inside the office until it is too late. When multiple people get sick at once, it might not be the flu; the air conditioning might be circulating allergens or toxic substances within the office. If the air quality in the workspace deteriorates, everyone will suffer. Make sure that the air conditioning system, including the vents, is regularly and properly maintained. Hire a professional to check at least once a year.
Another trick to improve air quality is to bring in plants that are known to purify the air and are also tolerant of low light if you do not have access to big windows.
Hide Chords
Falls account for thousands of injuries in the workplace. Modern offices typically use a lot of electronic equipment like computers, printers, scanners, photocopy machines, etc. Make frequent rounds within the office and look for cords that are not properly tucked away or hidden. These cords may cause an employee to trip or slip.
This is also the best time to keep an eye out for obstructions on the floor. Stacks of papers or boxes placed on walkways need to be properly kept in storage so that it will not cause any accidents.
Clean Bathrooms
The bathroom should always be cleaned. Numerous people use it every day to wash their hands, brush their teeth, or dispose of bodily wastes. It has to be regularly disinfected to prevent the spread of illnesses.
As an added precaution, place proper handwashing instructions above the sink and provide liquid soap and sanitizer for everyone to use after their done with their business. The office tends to be a petri dish of microbes. It is easy to spread illness from one employee to another if no one is careful.
You can do more to ensure that your employees are safe from accidents and illnesses. After all, if they are injured or sick, their absence will affect your business’ processes and, therefore, have an impact on profit. Moreover, if employees do not see that they are being taken care of, morale drops down and so will efficiency.
