10 health and safety tips for your company

Workplace health and safety is important for all organizations, regardless of size. Employers have a legal and moral obligation to keep their employees safe. But workplace safety is everyone's responsibility. Communicating workplace safety tips to employees can help ensure employee safety.

Good communication is essential to ensure that employees understand the safety requirements they must comply with in the workplace. This will contribute to create a safety culture where employees talk about possible dangers and understand the role they play in their own safety and that of their colleagues.

Below, we detail the top ten workplace safety tips for creating a safe environment that should be communicated to employees regularly.

1. Understand the risks

Every work environment is different and these vary from sector to sector and workplace to workplace. It is essential that employees understand the risks inherent in a particular job so that they can take appropriate steps to avoid injury. Especially if working with dangerous equipment or environments.

2. Be aware of the environment around us at all times

This builds on the previous point of understanding risks, but requires employees to always be aware of what is happening around them and constantly look for dangers.

3. Report unsafe conditions

Employees should know how to report unsafe conditions so that management can quickly address any safety risks or hazards. To know these conditions, it is advisable to review and control the company's facilities and risks, carry out regular drills, review smoke detectors that use 9V batteries, organize a team of brigades for possible emergencies, etc.

4. Know where the first aid kit and first aid personnel are

If someone needs first aid, do your employees know how to access it in the workplace? Make sure your staff know where the first aid kit is and, if you have a designated first aid officer, make sure they know who that person is so they can receive assistance if they need it.

5. Take regular breaks

Many workplace injuries occur because the employee is tired or exhausted. By taking regular breaks, employees can stay fresh at work.

6. Always use the equipment properly

When using machines and tools in the workplace, employees should always take appropriate precautions, never take shortcuts, and never use equipment for purposes other than its intended use. Doing so greatly reduces the risk of workplace injuries.

7. Pay attention to signage

Signage is posted to indicate that there may be a potential hazard in the area and includes important information about maintaining a safe work environment.

8. Know where the emergency exits are

All employees should know where to exit safely in the event of an evacuation. 

9. Keep emergency exits accessible

Since employees need to quickly access exits in the event of an emergency, it is imperative that exits are kept clear. Nothing should be placed in front of the exits that could block them or prevent their opening.

10. Use the correct safety equipment

All employees have the responsibility to ensure that they wear the suitable protective equipment that allows them to do their work safely.