If you are a small business owner, then it is important that you are aware of the potential dangers that you and your employees face each day. The workplace can be a dangerous place, particularly in certain industries, but being aware of what a few of the biggest risks are will enable you to take the necessary steps to reduce the chance of any accident or incident occurring. As an employer, it is your responsibility to create a safe working environment for your employees so read on for a few of the biggest threats and how you can go about combating them.
Slips, Trips & Falls
Slips, trips, and falls are a huge problem in many different industries. In busy work environments, it can be easy for floors to become cluttered or slippery and a slip, trip or fall could result in a nasty injury. You can avoid this type of injury by enforcing rules about keeping the work floor clear and by having “caution wet floor” signs clearly displayed whenever cleaning is in progress.
Repetitive Strain Injury
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is common for those that spend most of their day sitting at a computer, along with anyone having to repeat the same motion throughout the day, and it can put them out of work for a while. RSI can be avoided by encouraging staff to take regular breaks and by investing in ergonomic computer equipment.
Industrial Accidents
Industrial accidents are often the most dangerous, and there are many cases reported which are fatal each year. If you work in this industry, you must always carry out a risk assessment before starting a project, ensure that every employee is properly trained and that the equipment/machinery works correctly.
Muscular Strain
Muscular strains normally occur from incorrect lifting technique in manual labor roles. You can avoid these by training staff on how to lift properly and also by encouraging regular breaks, avoiding lifting too much and by stretching.
Work Accidents
It is unfortunate, but work accidents occur far too frequently, and these can have a huge impact on an individual’s life. If the accident was down to the employer’s negligence, personal injury claims can be made which could cost the company a fortune. It is for this reason why any business owner needs to carefully consider what the dangers are in their workplace through risk assessment. Doing so will then help you to identify ways in which you can either eliminate or reduce this risk. Often, this will simply be a case of making sure that every member of staff is properly trained or that they are taking regular breaks.
Workplace accidents are often avoidable, simply by taking a few steps to reduce the risk. Health and safety should be a point of focus for all employers no matter if you run a small office-based company or a large manufacturing plant as any claims made could be devastating and can ruin lives. It is the legal and moral duty of the employer to provide a safe working environment for employees so always consider this when starting out and be sure to re-address the issue frequently.
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