Top 4 Workplace Health and Safety Tips for Every Small Business

Often operating on a shoestring budget, small businesses usually don’t have enough resources to hire a workplace health and safety officer but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t worry about these issues. Workplace health and safety is very important, regardless of the size of the business. As a matter of fact, more than 100 people die in the USA as a result of their work, so it’s clear why setting up at least some ground rules and doing the best you can to protect your workers is a must. Here are top five health and safety tips for your workplace.

Keep It Safe and Clean

Creating a safe work area is the most efficient way of preventing injuries and hazards so that should be your starting point. Position machines in a safe manner and stage materials properly to make sure your work process is as safe as it could be. Keeping the place clean is equally important, especially if you work with materials that could cause a hazard and get your workers sick. Also, it’s easier to identify potential hazards when everything’s clean and there’s no clutter. Clean and dry floors will lower down the risk of falls while proper ventilation will help combat exposure to hazardous substances.

Make Your Employees Involved

You might not be able to hire a workplace health and safety officer but you can make sure all of your employees are familiar with your worries and aware of the risks. Starting a workday with a quick talk on health and safety with your staff can really raise awareness and create a sense of community and teamwork at the same time. Keeping your employees involved is crucial, so make sure you give them clear instruction on how they should behave in the workplace and in case of a health or safety hazard. You can also appoint a person to be a health and safety champion and let him train the workers. That way you’ll save some time and add some weight to your message since fellow workers will be spreading it among themselves.

Come Up With a Health and Safety Policy

Essential for big companies, health and safety policy is equally important for small businesses with just a few employees. Describing how you will manage things in case of an emergency will let your staff know how committed you are to health and safety concerns and help you deal with it efficiently when the time comes. Writing it doesn’t have to be hard nor time-consuming, you just have to follow a few basic rules. However, remember that a policy will only be effective if all of your workers follow it and review it on a regular basis. That’s why it’s better to write it together – that’s even easier when you have only a few employees, so go ahead – have some fun!

Practice for Emergencies

You know what they say: practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to practicing to protect your workers from safety hazards. That’s why coming up with a good plan, practicing it regularly, and reviewing it from time to time to make it better is a must. Having evacuation plans made by safety professionals for your business is a great idea, so take a look at Fire Safe ANZ evacuation diagrams. Also, regular fire drills can be only beneficial – to make sure your staff is prepared for that kind of emergencies. Practicing it might look silly but it’s the very basis of being actually prepared, so don’t hesitate to make it part of your work routine.

Workplace health and safety is not a joke since people can get hurt even while working a typical office job. You’re responsible for the health and safety of your workers, so don’t take this for granted – follow these tips and improve your business health and safety level.