Health & Safety In the Workplace: 4 Golden Rules

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All business owners need to work hard to ensure that their employees are safe at all times. Today, I’m going to highlight four golden rules you’ll need to consider. Failure to take health and safety seriously in the workplace could have drastic consequences for your business. One example of this is that injured workers can make a compensation claim of some kind. Depending on where you live this can involve court cases, investigations and / or fines. That would mean you’d have to find the money for expensive legal fees if you have to go to court or end up having to pay fines. You might also have to take your focus away from the growth of your company. So, it’s sensible to try to avoid them as much as possible by using some (or all) of the advice below.

Train someone in basic first aid

There is no getting away from the fact that injuries can occur in any working environment. For that reason, it makes sense for you to ensure there is always someone on site with qualifications in first aid. As the employer, you will have to find someone willing to learn the techniques and then pay for their courses. How far you go with that idea is down to you. You could even help a team member to get their CPR certification if you think it will benefit your company. (Again depending on where you live and the size of your company this may be a legal requirement.) Most courses of that nature only take a few days to complete. Also, they aren’t going to break the bank, and they’re worth the investment. Just search for providers in your local area with a good track record. You can usually find reviews online. Consider training more than one employee as well.

Fit CCTV at your premises

You need to ensure your building is secure and random people can’t gain access. That could mean installing fingerprint readers at the doors. However, you may also want to think about the installation of CCTV. If nothing else, CCTV can alert you to situations before they become too severe. It also provides video evidence the police can use during their investigations if you ever need it. Again, you’ll have to make a considerable investment for the best outcome. However, it’s worth spending the money if it keeps your employees and your business safe. Look for local companies online and see what they have to offer.

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Ensure you have a fire evacuation plan

It’s vital that you think about fire safety if you run an office, factory, or warehouse. There are lots of flammable materials around, and so you can’t afford to leave things to chance. We have all seen what can happen to a building when a fire begins to spread. For that reason, you must create a plan for evacuating your premises if the worst occurs. Take a look at the best exit points and work out how you could get everyone out of the building in a matter of seconds. And have a designated meeting point outside. You then need to discuss the plans with your workers and test them out. Pick a day when you’re not too busy, and set the fire alarms off. You can then time your team to find out how long it takes them to get outside. Repeat the process until you’re satisfied.

Make sure all electrics get tested annually

According to health and safety experts, electrical fires are quite common in the working environment. That is why you must ensure all electrical devices get tested every twelve months. You just need to call a professional and have them come to your place of business. They will then use a small tool to check the items and ensure they don’t have faults that could become dangerous. They will then write the date on a small sticker and place it on your electrical devices. That will prove they were deemed safe on that date. With a bit of luck, that’s all you need to do to ensure you’re working in the safest property possible. Failure to take that advice could have severe consequences.

Whatever you do this year, ensure you put as many of the suggestions from this page into practice as you can. They are the four golden rules for keeping your employees safe. Create your plan today and set the wheels in motion. That is the best way to ensure you don’t overlook anything important and you cover all the bases. Of course, if you notice any other safety concerns along the way, you need to deal with them as well.