Work Safer This Spring with Five Simple Steps

Now that spring is here, it's the perfect time for cleaning and reorganizing - not just around your house, but in the workplace. A tidy and presentable facility presents a positive image of your company, and has been shown to boost employee morale and company pride. Spring cleaning is also a great opportunity to reassess the safety of your work facility. Rejuvenate your facility this season with these spring safety tips.

Establish Safety Goals

First, occupy the right mindset and make safety your goal. Cultivate a belief that your workplace can always be safer, and that there is no excuse for unsafe practices. Making a to-do list is a prudent next step. Before you dive into your spring cleaning safety project, it helps to have a clear picture of your goals and the steps you will take to go about achieving them, as well as a realistic timeframe for completing them. In your interactions with staff, demonstrate that you value worker safety to make sure they know that it is a top priority and that you are not merely doing the minimum required by law to keep them safe. For instance, praise workers for following safety regulations, and follow them yourself without exception.

Offer Training Refreshers

Even the most seasoned worker may need a reminder about how to perform his or her job with the proper precautions. Whether it’s how to properly insert ear plugs or what to do in case of a fire, reiterating safety tips is especially helpful in the spring when warming weather begins to present new working environments. If the spring season brings new hiring, be sure to hire smart; make sure new hires are competent enough to work safely and have the right attitude toward safe work practices. It may also be helpful to solicit workers’ concerns about safety in the facility and to act on their suggestions. They are the ones at risk, after all.

Check Equipment Quality

If you expect employees to work safely, you must make sure they have the appropriate tools. Inspect all workplace equipment and tools to make sure they are functioning properly. Make certain that you are up to date with the latest information about using the devices safely, and to see whether any are due for official inspection or replacement. Also, inspect personal protective equipment and other safety gear to make sure that it complies with OSHA regulations and recommendations, as well as more general safety standards. Replace any PPE that you provide yourself, such as work gloves, that have become worn with frequent use over the previous weeks or months.

Address Facility Hazards

Inspect the work facility itself as well. You want to ensure that there are no obvious hazards and that the facility is organized in the most sensible way. For example, make sure that any storage areas are arranged with designated spaces so that items do not form trip hazards, and so that hazardous chemicals are stored safely and properly. Check that boxes and equipment are not stacked in such a way that they may tumble and cause injury. Note whether there is sufficient signage providing workers’ instruction on safe work practices and proper use of equipment.

Keep Records

Maintain records of inspections, and also of any safety mishaps that occur. Where any incident occurs, even if it does not result in serious injury, perform an investigation to discover why it happened and to determine how to prevent it from happening again. Dutifully note all first aid treatments, inspections, incident investigations, and safety training activities in your record books. Make sure that these safety records are well-maintained, organized and easily legible for quick reference or inspection.

With these tips, you should be ready to make your workplace safer this season. Contact us today to review your needs for new PPE solutions to keep your workers safer this year.

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