If you want to attract and keep the best workers in the job market, you need to treat them well. A significant part of that is providing a safe work environment. If employees don’t feel safe and comfortable with your business, they will find another employer who will treat them better and keep them safer.
Work-related injuries are more common than you may think and sometimes lead to death. In the United States, 4,764 fatal work injuries occurred in the year 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2.7 million injury and illness cases were reported in 2020 by employers in the private industry.
To learn more about the importance of a safe work environment and how it affects your business, keep reading this article and we’ll get right down to the details.
What Is a Safe Work Environment?
Workplace safety is not just about the prevention of injuries and stopping the spread of illnesses. It’s also about prioritizing employee wellness.
Safety in their workplace means the employee feels secure and enjoys a safe place to work. It’s about company values and a positive work culture that puts an emphasis on respect for all.
The U.S. Congress passed the OSH Act over 50 years ago to promise workers that they have the right to a safe job, and as a result, it has saved the lives of over 618,000 workers.
How Can You Create a Safe Working Environment?
First, it is important to understand that, as an employer; it is your responsibility to use reasonable caution for potential hazards in the workplace. Every business has a potential hazard. You will need to assess what they are in your unique situation and take the steps to prevent them.
A common cause of injury in most workplaces would be a fall from a slippery or cluttered floor. Some common injuries are more specific to the industry, like manufacturing plants exposing workers to toxic chemicals.
The best thing to do is assess any new potential hazards regularly and, in doing so, update your safety procedures to prevent them. Even if you take every precaution, injuries can happen. This article can help you understand what to do next if an injury takes place.
Be Proactive
You want to take a proactive stance on employee safety. Even if you haven’t had an injury in your company yet, you want to take the right precautions to ensure that it doesn’t happen and that you are providing proper workplace safety.
It’s good to talk to field workers about the possibility of safety threats. They can help you better identify things you may not know are there because the everyday worker is much closer to exposure than you are most times. Have an open dialogue to promote workplace safety and employee wellness initiatives.
Safety must be a part of onboarding and ongoing training. Hold meetings regularly to talk about safety in the workplace. This is a good start for creating a strong company culture that cares about its people.
No Better Time Than the Present
Now that you’ve learned why a safe work environment is important, you’ll have some research to do for the next steps to plan and execute new safety policies and procedures.
Check out our website for more informative articles that can improve employee wellness in your business!
