10 important business health and safety issues to consider
When running a business, it is very important that you pay attention to all health and safety issues that may present themselves in the workplace. As an employer, you are responsible for keeping your employees safe and for making sure that risks to their health are minimised. Here are ten important health and safety issues that you need to consider within your business.
Create a Health and Safety Policy
First of all you need to make sure you have a good health and safety policy in place that dictates policy. Every workplace should have one, and if serious injury should occur, you need to have a policy both for liability reasons, and so that your staff can react appropriately.
Have Emergency Protocols Ready for Use
No one expects an emergency to occur, but if one does you want to make sure that you are prepared. Emergency protocols should dictate proper actions to employees and be easily accessible at all times.
Train Employees on Basic Safety Issues
Employees should have proper health and safety training so that they are knowledgeable and can help protect themselves at work. They should be aware of all safety risks within a building and should be trained to minimise their risks. Workplace First Aid training is also highly recommended for staff so they are prepared in an emergency.
Offer Health Insurance that Covers Needs
Another great way to keep employees safe and productive at work is to offer them health insurance that covers their needs. When employees are healthy they are happier and tend to perform better at work.
Encourage Preventative Health
Along the same lines, you should encourage preventative health measures, because a healthy employee will tend to work harder. You can do this by encouraging preventative steps, so you can keep them healthier at work on a long term basis.
Send Workers Home When Sick
A lot of employees stay at work when they are sick because they are afraid of penalties, but if an employee is ill they may be sloppy or make poor decisions that may threaten their heath and others. Create an atmosphere where they are comfortable going home, and the workplace will remain healthier for everyone.
Stay Conscious of Noise Hazards
It is important to remember that noise can also be a safety hazard. Continuous noise in the workplace can actually lead to many health issues, so make sure that it is addressed in the workplace.
Keep Outdoor Areas Clean and Weather Safe
Make sure that the outdoor areas of your business are always maintained properly, so that there are no slip-and-fall injuries on the premises. This is important not only during the winter months but also during any other seasons where things such as wet leaves could cause an issue.
Enforce Proper Safety Gear at All Times
If there are known health risks in a work environment, then make sure that proper safety gear is available, and that all safety gear is required. Many employees will avoid wearing it because it is burdensome, but if they were injured it would still be the employer that was responsible.
Complete Routine Risk Assessments
Finally, make sure that you have a team dedicated to performing routine risk assessments, to continually monitor the risks in a business and ensure that no new situations have arisen.
If you would like to get your staff trained in first aid or manual handling techniques get in touch with our team today.