9 Ways to Protect Your Employees from Workplace Accidents

If you own a business, it is imperative that you have certain things in place to protect all your employees from workplace accidents. The safety of yourself and your employees will ensure that your workplace thrives and that your employees feel confident coming to work.
Help them know their rights
If any of your employees are hurt at work, they are entitled to a lawyer. Never discourage them from contacting a lawyer or offering to give the money. Good attorneys such as Storm Law, in Columbia, South Carolina, can be a great resource for your employees.
Have education measures in place
Make sure all your employees know how to use every piece of equipment, even if it isn’t their main job to use it. Educate all your employees on safety measures and have guidelines for using them. Any time there is new equipment, have a training session. Be open to questions from employees.
Provide protection equipment
It’s your job to provide every employee with the right equipment to keep them safe when working. This could include things like goggles, face protection, gloves, hard hats, safety shoes, or earplugs. Ask your employees if there is something that would make their work more comfortable.
Have enough staff
If you are understaffed, employees might start to take shortcuts to get the work done early, or they may start doing too many things at once. This can cause accidents to happen more frequently. In times of need, hire seasonal or temporary workers. If your employees seem overworked, ask them to take a break or have someone cover for them until they are better. Never allow an employee who seems overly tired or drained to operate the equipment.
Inspect equipment
All equipment should be regularly inspected and maintained. Listen to employee complaints about equipment that doesn’t seem to be working properly. Make sure anything that is faulty or inoperable is taken out immediately. Repair any vehicles right away and have monthly inspections at the minimum.
Have a safety and wellness plan
Every workplace should have a wellness program that employees can consult when they are injured or sick. There should also be a plan for reporting hazardous practices or behavior. Keeping it anonymous can ensure that employees are more comfortable reporting it. Make sure all new employees are trained in the program and that ongoing training is provided.
Conduct physicals
For certain jobs, physicals or medical examinations may be required to ensure that employees can do the job without hurting themselves or others. Many accidents are caused by inexperience. Make sure that the employee has the proper experience. If they can’t perform well, put them through extra training until they are ready for the demands of the job.
Minimize shortcuts
Make sure that employees know that shortcuts are dangerous and will not be tolerated. Discipline employees who do not follow the correct protocol and watch employees are doing the right order and schedule. Any shortcuts should be addressed promptly and inspected. Help employees know that staying ahead of schedule is not as important as avoiding injury and problems to themselves. Encourage them to protect themselves while still performing the job well.
Make the workplace orderly
If the workplace is messy or out of order, injuries are more likely. Create footpaths to show employees the proper layout of the workplace. Make sure all debris and spills are cleaned right away and are not left out. Create a schedule for cleaning and give all employees a duty to keep their stations clean. Have inspections before they go home.