Safety For Workers is non-negotiable, it is a law. Safety should never be an afterthought; as organizational efficiency directly depends on the well-being of employees.
Safe employee will result to higher productivity. Safety for workers refers to the provision of a safe working environment, safe equipment, policies, and procedures in order to ensure workers’ health and safety.
Safety For Workers Can Be Achieved By;
- Providing workers with safety training and instruction
- Providing workers with proper personal protective equipment
- Creating a safe working environment, safe equipment and safe procedures that limit any threats to worker health and safety.
- Setting up adequate safety supervision
- Ensuring workers aren’t subject to extreme mental and physical fatigue
- Ensuring that the hours of work do not adversely affect worker safety and health
Federal law entitles workers to a safe workplace. Your employer must keep your workplace free of known health and safety hazards. You have the right to speak up about hazards without fear of retaliation. You also have the right to:
- Receive workplace safety and health training in a language you understand
- Work on machines that are safe
- Receive required safety equipment, such as gloves or a harness and lifeline for falls
- Be protected from toxic chemicals
- Request an OSHA inspection, and speak to the inspector
- Report an injury or illness, and get copies of your medical records
- Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses
- See results of tests taken to find workplace hazards
Importance of Safety For Workers
There are lots of importance associated when Safety For Workers, some importance are:
Employee retention: Employees appreciate safe working environments, which is a sign that their employer cares about their wellbeing. Therefore, employees who feel safe at work are also more loyal to their employers and stay longer within their organizations.
On the other hand, those who do not feel safe or have experienced workplace accidents are much more likely to search for new employers.
READ: How To Improve Safety Awareness In The Workplace
Company finances: The Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index reported that for every $1 a company invests in workplace safety, the result amounts to a $4 return on investment.
This is not surprising as a company could run into serious financial trouble if an employee gets injured at work. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires all employers to follow specific guidelines in creating safe workplaces. Not following OSHA’s rules and guidelines can lead to serious legal and financial losses.
Employee productivity: Employees who feel safe in their working environments are also more productive than those who have been injured in the past and, therefore, have developed a certain level of anxiety and fright.
Eliminating workplace hazards enables employees to stay invested in their work and do their best.
Company reputation and Employer Branding: Companies that do not invest in workplace safety quickly develop a reputation of an unsafe employer, which has a big impact on employer branding and talent attraction efforts. Moreover, the company’s customers, competitors and the general public often perceive such companies as unprofessional.
READ: Electrical Safety In The Workplace
As a consequence, fewer employees apply for jobs, and the most skilled workers often search for jobs elsewhere.
Top 10 Common Workplace Safety Tips for Employees
Here are some most common workplace safety tips that employers often share with their workforce:
- Be aware of your legal responsibilities.
- Stay committed to health and safety at work.
- Get familiar with all the potential hazardous situations in the workplace.
- Often review the latest safety policies and procedures.
- Stay informed with the company’s safety updates.
- Identify, assess and manage hazards within the workplace.
- Inform, train and supervise your employees on safety practices.
- Ensure that incidents and injuries are reported, recorded and investigated.
- Share your concerns and feedback and suggest solutions for improvement.
- Ensure that you are planned and prepared for emergencies.
In conclusion, safety for workers is a law. It is binding on every employer to ensure the safety of his workers.
These can be achieved by developing good safety culture; and following some safety tips as highlighted above.
