3 Tips on Avoiding Workplace Injuries for Small Businesses

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Did you know that 4572 people died in 2019 as a result of a preventable injury in the workplace?

Health and safety should be on top of every company’s agenda. When workers get injured, it lowers morale and reduces efficiency, and it costs money due to time off and medical bills. Plus, a severe injury or worse can have a huge negative effect on your brand.

So what can you do to keep everyone safe in the workplace?

Well, in this article, we’ll share three tips on avoiding workplace injuries. By following these tips, you can enforce a safe environment for all of your staff.

Construction accident at work place
Image source: intelligenthq.com

1. Conduct Regular Health and Safety Training

Health and safety training is something that should be repeated often and never neglected. Don’t just offer it to new employees but everyone on a regular basis.

The purpose of the training is to identify common workplace hazards, how to prevent them, and what to do should they occur.

For example, how can employees prevent falls, and what is the procedure should this happen?

The main advantages of continuous health and safety training are as follows:

  • Staff become more safety-conscious
  • Everyone understands safety procedures and guidelines
  • Workplace injuries should decrease
  • Trust in the employer increases

Finally, you should know that regular training can help prevent workplace injury lawsuits.

2. Ensure All Staff Have Suitable Protective Equipment

Depending on what industry you’re in, personal protective equipment varies. But it’s essential that all employees have the right equipment to carry out their jobs safely.

This includes providing them with things such as:

  • Hard hats
  • Earmuffs
  • Safety goggles
  • Face masks
  • Safety shoes
  • High-viz jackets

This kind of equipment is especially needed in the construction industry. Reports from the OSHA say that one of the most common injuries comes from workers being struck by falling objects.

But it’s not enough just to provide the equipment. You need to ensure all staff knows how to wear them correctly and they wear them when necessary.

So, it may be appropriate to discipline employees who neglect wearing safety equipment.

3. Employ Enough Staff

Some injuries are solely caused by staff carrying out tasks alone when they shouldn’t. They often do this due to lack of help and fear of being disciplined if they don’t complete the job. Other injuries are caused by overworked and tired staff who simply lose concentration.

Both of these are not the fault of the employee but of the employer.

To prevent these situations, ensure you hire enough staff so your business can run smoothly. Also, pay close attention to any staff who may be overworking and making mistakes. If this happens, then give them the break they need.

A Guide on Avoiding Workplace Injuries

We hope our guide has been useful to you and you can start implementing your own health and safety plan.

As you can see, avoiding workplace injuries should be a priority for all businesses. The cost and impact of injuries can hinder businesses. Plus, most are avoidable. Try Your Safety Partners, if you want your organisation to comply with safety laws and reduce the risk of causing harms.

Finally, check out our blog for more business tips.