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Health and safety within a business are things that should be a top priority for all business owners, and it doesn’t matter how careful you are; sometimes, things fall through the cracks. And it’s those things that can cause the issues. Because health and safety in the workplace isn’t just one thing, it is a variety of different things, and overlooking just one small aspect can result in an injury. In 2023, the NSC reported over 4.2 million medically consulted workplace injuries, and many of these could have been prevented for the most part.
If you don’t want to risk an OSHA violation, then you need to make sure you aren’t overlooking specific aspects of your business that could potentially cause harm to yourself, your employees, or your customers.
Stress
Health and safety isn’t just a physical risk. It is a mental one, too, and neglecting to think about how everyone is doing mentally will impact your workforce, and standards will slip. For example, high-stress levels can lead to increased absences, lower productivity rates, reduced concentration, and an unwillingness to do what is needed at work to stay safe. Make sure you monitor employees for any signs of stress, pay attention to changes in attitudes or competency, and ensure that no one is working under any added stress outside their usual duties.
Distractions
These days, distractions can come in the form of using their mobile phone at work, wearing headphones, or multitasking too many jobs, so they can’t give any their full and undivided attention. And when they don’t give their full attention, this is where mistakes happen. Identify any instances where this occurs, add risk to everyday activities within the workplace, and remove any unneeded distractions.
Cleaning
How you keep your facility clean and organized can also pose a risk, and it can often be overlooked, especially if you work somewhere like a small restaurant or office that doesn’t have a cleaning staff and duties are split between employees. The chemicals used in cleaning products and how they are used, i.e., with no ventilation in a room or without gloves or other PPE, can be harmful to people’s health and cause massive illness or injury if not used correctly.
Incorrect Equipment
You might not be able to afford to replace your equipment or get the expensive repairs carried out, but an inability to access the correct equipment and tools to carry out the job safely can put everyone at risk. If something isn’t working or fit for purpose, then it needs to be removed from the equation. So, too, does allowing employees to compromise and use their tools that are designed for what they intend to use them for. When it comes to any type of work, you want the right equipment and tools. Be it having the correct Drum Handling Equipment, lifting apparatus for working at height, or even tools to carry out repairs as required, Whatever it is, it needs to be in good working order and suitable for use.
Health and safety in the workplace shouldn’t be taken lightly, or else you could fall foul of one of the six OSHA violations and land yourself in legal hot water, not to mention put everyone at risk from failing to comply with legal standards.
