As an employer, workplace safety should be a top priority. Every year, employees are injured or killed due to falls, electrocutions, being struck by an object, and so on. In order to create a safer working environment, start with getting your employees to take ownership of workplace safety and doing everything within their power to mitigate risks. Here are some techniques for getting your workers on board.
Create Safety Policies
Having formal policies outlining safety protocol and expectations is crucial. Not only does this provide a template for employees to model their behavior after, it offers very clear guidelines of do’s and don’ts in the workplace. It’s ideal to include this in your employee handbook. You may also want to post your safety policies in a visible location where employees can use it for reference.
Provide Adequate Training
Perhaps the best way to prepare your staff and ensure they take safety seriously is to offer at least some basic training on procedures. This might include creating some example safety problems and asking how they would respond if they find themselves in a particular situation.
Remember that some people may “shut down” because of the stress-inducing nature of a difficult situation, so training can help them think more clearly in an emergency.
Get Employees Involved With Safety Decisions
Participation is essential for getting employees to take ownership of safety. This is why it’s important to get their input on things like safety drills, procedures and future policies. For example, if you’re considering implementing a new rule, you might hold a meeting to see what everyone’s opinion is and how it would impact day-to-day operations.
Hold Them Accountable
It’s difficult to make any tangible progress if your employees don’t have some degree of accountability. Maybe you have a manager in charge of performing routine safety inspections to ensure that procedures are being carried out correctly. Or maybe require employees to check off a safety list at the end of each shift. Doing so should help them get into the habit of upholding safety standards to the point that it becomes automatic.
Provide Ongoing Support
Your staff will inevitably have questions and concerns. Make sure you appoint a couple of managers to answer these questions and address those concerns. You may even want to consider having an online resource where employees can get answers to FAQs 24/7.
Minimizing accidents and injuries begins with your employees taking ownership of workplace safety. By providing them with the right tools and resources, everyone can come together collaboratively and make your workplace as safe as possible.
Check out our blog for more on optimizing your workplace and getting the most from employees.