1. Conduct Pre-Placement Physical Exams

Before you hire someone for an non-desk based role especially roles where machinery or heavy equipment is being operated; you must have a good understanding of their health history. It allows your business to check for obvious health problems and helps protect you from work-related injury lawsuits.

While most people are responsible for disclosing their current physical status, some aren't so honest. That's why pre-placement physicals can help minimise potential risks down the road by quickly uncovering any potentially dangerous conditions or predispositions.

2. Communicate Your Health and Safety Policy

An open communication line between you and your employees will help them understand their responsibility to follow health, safety, and regulations. Communicate your organization's health and safety policy, including a commitment to injury-free work.

Set clear rules for your workers that describe what you expect them to do should an injury or accident occur. Your policy should be flexible to meet any needs each employee may have.

Outline your reporting process and ensure your workers are aware of applicable SafeWork regulations. It should be easy for them to know who to contact in case of an accident or a potential threat that could lead to injuries.

3. Always Use the Right Safety Equipment

The law requires every workplace to provide employees with safety equipment. Eye protection, gloves, respirators, blood pressure monitors and even headgear are part of an employer's responsibility for safety.

Regardless, you must ensure you use all these tools correctly. For example, use proper respiratory protection if you work with chemicals or toxic substances.

This tool keeps you safe from airborne contaminants. Inspecting your protective gear for damage, such as cracks or tears in gloves, is also essential. Any damage could compromise its effectiveness when you need it most.

4. Keep Emergency Exits Clear

When designing your workplace, ensure that every emergency exit is always clear. Ensure you provide easy access to fire doors and entrances for use in a natural disaster.

When work begins in an area, identify any blockages that may occur so you can quickly remove them. It's also important to keep an eye on these areas while people are working nearby.

For example, a chair or table could quickly move into a path and become an obstruction without anyone realizing it. You should also ensure that no items block hallways or stairwells for easy movement.

5. Take Regular Breaks

Everyone knows that regular exercise is a vital part of staying healthy. But too many people assume that just because they work a desk job, they're safe from health risks like heart disease and diabetes.

Being in an office isn't like being out hiking or running in a park. Even though you might be getting fresh air while staring at your computer screen, sitting for prolonged periods might result in burnout. Employee burnout might put one at risk of injury or work-related illness.

The best way to reduce the risk of injury or disease is to take breaks regularly and do something physically active. Even something small can help you feel refreshed, healthy, and alert throughout your workday.

6. Eliminate Hazards Immediately

Hazards can happen for many reasons, but one of the best ways to ensure your workplace stays safe is to deal with issues quickly. You should either fix or remove something from your work environment when something poses a hazard.

Don't put off addressing hazards since your colleagues could get hurt in an accident later on. If you can't eliminate a threat, warn everyone about its existence and explain how to handle it safely.

For example, if you have a faulty ladder that needs replacing, post signs warning people not to use it until a new one arrives. You might also consider putting up barriers near any potentially hazardous equipment while workers fix them.

Finally, ensure that all your team members know how to respond in an emergency. You may need to train employees on everything from CPR techniques to how to evacuate a building in case of fire.

7. Research Safety Vulnerabilities

As with every other area of life, health and safety should be a top priority in your workplace. Be proactive about identifying potential risks, such as poor ventilation, unsafe electrical outlets, or a lack of first aid kits.

You should consider looking into work-related illness or injury statistics and review any applicable SafeWork regulations. You'll better equip yourself to keep yourself and your employees safe by remaining informed about common workplace threats.

8. Ensure Health and Safety Training for Employees

An employee handbook is a good start for any business, but it's not enough. Your employees need proper training on how to handle themselves on a day-to-day basis.

Training should involve avoiding hazards in your office, interacting with each other, and what constitutes unacceptable behavior. Make sure you have a system to track who has received health and safety training.

While it may seem obvious, it's easy for individuals in an organisation to get into bad habits if they don't know better. With proper training, people will have a shared vision of keeping each other safe while performing their jobs.

Wrapping Up

A lot of factors go into making a workplace safe. It's important to remember that no matter how many precautions you take, some dangers will always be present. Accidents happen, and everyone should have a safety net. Creating an injury-free work environment is more accessible, but you can significantly lower your risk with these tips.

About the author 

Medshop Australia is a leader in medical supplies and services with over 35,000 products from Medical supplies and PPE to equipment and more shop now at medshop.com.au