As a business owner, it is your task to make the workplace as safe as possible, and there are very strict government guidelines in relation to safety in the workplace, which every employer must follow. Regardless of how much you do to make your place of work safe, accidents can and do happen, but it is wise to carry out risk assessments to see if you can identify risks to employee safety.

The Importance of Risk Assessment

Risk assessments play a vital role in making the workplace safe for all, as they enable you to:

• Create awareness of potential hazards.
• Identify who might be at risk – Employees, visitors, general public or customers.
• Determine if current safety standards are appropriate.
• Establish a control method.

The aim of risk assessment is to identify potential hazards, while examining what could happen, then to prioritise the hazards and ensure that control measures are in place.

Wearing Suitable Clothing

It is, of course, essential that all employees wear suitable clothing for their respective positions, and whether that involves special work boots or protective headwear, you should be able to supply your workers with everything they need to stay safe while working. If you are unsure about the legal requirement, there are government websites that provides essential information for employers regarding safety wear in the workplace.

Manual Handling Techniques

Many employers have reaped the benefits from teaching their staff how to manually handle items correctly, and they have less absenteeism and a healthier workforce. If you would like some assistance in manual handling techniques, there are specialist companies that will come to your place of work and observe your staff as they go about their daily duties. This helps the experts to compile a short training session that will demonstrate proper handling practices, and the experts would deliver the content to your employees, while also making them aware of risk assessment.

Safety Meetings

If you don’t yet have safety meetings with your employees, you should call a short monthly meeting to discuss potential safety hazards, which could be tagged onto the end of the normal monthly staff meeting. If you have a safety officer, it would be their responsibility to hold monthly meetings when you can discuss and review, which keeps everyone on the same page, so to speak. If any staff member is short of protective clothing or equipment, they can make you aware of this, and with online suppliers of safety clothing and equipment, you can always ensure that you comply with the safety rules and regulations.

You should also check your safety signage periodically, along with fire prevention equipment and extinguishers, ensuring that everything is in good order. In the event there is an accident, not only should it be recorded, a meeting should be held to look for ways of minimising risk, and the cause of the accident should be identified.

If you really want to make your workplace safer, there are things you can do, and with the right clothing and PPE, your staff can get on with their work, while always being aware of the risks.