Your business is worth a lot, both in extrinsic value to the world at large, and in sentimental value to you as the owner. And because of that, it’s best to try and secure it from the start – you want your premises to be as safe as can be, and you want everyone who works for you to never run into trouble while in the workplace. As the owner, you feel rightly responsible, and it’s something you should strive for as often as possible.
It might seem hard to try and guarantee safe and productive days at work, and of course, there’s not too much you can do about emergencies. But in practice, the more you’re aware of the hazards of the workplace, the better you’re going to react to them. Damage control is a big thing in the working world, after all, and good damage control starts with a lot of preparation.
So, with that in mind, here are a few tips to keep in mind about improving the health and safety of your workplace. Some changes might take a little time to implement, but they’re definitely worth it.
How does your business fit into the rest of the world? Is it secure enough to withstand it?
Post Rules Clearly
If you’re going to be introducing new health and safety rules to your workplace, you need to ensure they’re posted where everyone who needs to see them can do so. You want to be sure they’re paid attention to, and taken into account with every action, and that means they need to be present on a person’s mind at all times.
How do you do this? You post the list of rules in the most used areas of the office; next to the break room coat rack, next to the office water cooler, in the toilets even. These are all high traffic areas with wandering eyes, and that means the most attention will be drawn to them here.
At the same time, to ensure these rules aren’t just read and forgotten about, it might be worth it to reward any staff members who follow them. If an example can be made of the employees who do things by the book, and never fail to keep health and safety in mind, you will be better motivate the rest of your team to do the same thing.
Be Aware of Potential Fire Hazards
Fire is a big concern, in both the commercial and domestic sectors. Quite a few potential fire hazards can exist in the workplace, and being able to pinpoint them and prepare for any outbreaks is key for succeeding in business. Health and safety puts a lot of stock in minimizing fire hazards, so you won’t be alone in trying to reduce the risks here.
Be careful of where you store your waste – one of the main causes of commercial fires is how businesses dispose of their waste products, and any combustible materials that are simply thrown in the trash and forgotten about. For example, throwing a cigarette into a garbage bin that’s filled with waste paper and packaging can cause a roaring fire in a matter of minutes to hours.
At the same time, make sure you’re emptying these receptacles on a regular basis, to ensure there’s no build-up of ignition materials. Those waste paper bins in the office might just seem like mundane items now, but if they’re left unattended to on a regular basis, and a fire breaks out, it could spread very easily through the office.
Provide Enough Light
Light is something we all need to see, and it’s hard to work when it’s dark both inside and outside. It’s hard to even find the energy to get on with things! So if you’re someone who likes to work by natural light, and you prioritize the light through the windows over every other form of light, you might want to make some changes in the atmosphere of your workplace.
Try to get some strong overhead lights that light up the whole office nice and bright – something with a warming yellow or white bulb would be best. A bluish tinge to the light given out is something you should try to avoid in any bulbs you screw in, as this can help to increase the strain on your employees’ eyes, especially if they’re looking at a screen in front of them for most of the day.
Most importantly, make sure the areas to park outside of your business are well lit and readily accessible at all times because of this. You can easily get your hands on some new parking lot lights if need be. You, your staff, and any visitor to your business need to be able to see the road, the other cars, as well as parking spaces allocated on the road. And if you haven’t given this much thought before now, now’s your chance to turn this potential hazard on its head.
Keep Your Staff Well Trained
A final point to finish off. You should also keep your staff well trained in matters of health and safety, as well as first aid matters. If there can always be someone on site that is trained in first aid with a proper certificate to boast, you can be sure any accidents or emergencies can be dealt with properly and swiftly. It’s key to ensure that your management team are not the only ones who know how to administer such care.
Is Your Business as Safe and Secure as Possible?
It’s a question to ask yourself on a regular basis. Make sure any and all changes to your office or workplace environment are run through a healthy and safety filter. At the same time, make sure to keep everyone who works for you in the know – you don’t want any employees trying to operate by old health and safety standards, and compromising their safety as well as others in the meantime.
