Safety measures in business shouldn’t be looked at as just another measure to reduce losses. Studies show that employees that feel safe in a well-regulated work environment have less stress during work hours and do their job better. Here are some ways you can noticeably improve safety and give your workers a reason to stay productive.
1. Address Safety and Security together
Just as how the installation of commercial electric gates can help secure your work environment from the threat of theft, you also have to ensure the company’s intellectual property as well as operations controlled through the internet.
It’s no surprise that with the amount of technological progress man has made in the field of communication, that many different machines and appliances are connected in a single system. Everything from a toaster to a bulldozer is connected through the internet. This can prove handy when you need to have different machines working in sync with the same information, working on the same project.
Unfortunately, this can be a security concern. Hacking is a very real danger. Someone intending to sabotage work or cause injury only needs one way of entry to control several devices. Cybersecurity threats should be under the umbrella of safety concerns for both the project leader and the workers. A noticeably insecure system will be noticed by employees and make them anxious with using necessary tools.
2. Prevent instead of fixing
It’s always better to avoid the cause of an issue instead of dealing with its consequences. Preventing malfunctions should be higher on the to-do list than mitigating damage. Try to design risks out of machinery so you and your employees don’t feel threatened by potential mistakes in the hardware. Guaranteeing some degree of safety will ease people working with the machines.
A lot of companies perform risk assessments, but rarely as often as they should. Performing a risk assessment of machinery and tools is vital in the design process, but don’t forget to re-do it after they are put in their operating location. It’s necessary to verify compliance, safety mechanisms, and how productive the machine is. But also keep in mind that a lot of injuries happen during maintenance, repair, and risk assessment, so safety shouldn’t be disregarded in those situations either.
3. Allow experts to make changes
To keep up with changing standards, you need trained professionals with up-to-date knowledge of machinery and their safety protocols. Make sure they have good track records of designing and maintaining the machines they are assigned to. Good engineers will know where put gates and how to make pathways that reduce vehicle collisions and similar things that can increase safety.
Construction business owners know the value of well-designed automatic gates because they are unlikely to cause worker injury when being opened or closed. Evolving technologies ease compliance and improve safety but not if the people maintaining them have no clue what they are doing. That is why some of the measures should be left up to the knowledgeable. This kind of delegation will be much appreciated by employees.
4. Ergonomic design is your friend
Another way of curbing injuries and improving workers’ morale is with ergonomically designed machinery. This will let new workers ease into the job without too many mistakes. If you are hiring younger and inexperienced workers, keep in mind that they are more prone to acute injuries as a result of not knowing how the appliances work, or not being familiar enough with safety protocols. This is why machines with an intuitive interface and ease of use are a godsend to employers.
Usability issues should be a higher priority in hazard assessment, along with traditional types of hazard. Engineers that perform the assessments should take into consideration the way an employee might use a machine, as well as common mistakes that can be made with the controls. Keep in mind that some workers are left-handed or ambidextrous so design your machinery accordingly.
In conclusion
A productive employee is one that isn’t afraid to handle machinery at work. If your workers know you’re looking out for them and their safety, they’ll appreciate their jobs more and put in extra effort when doing work.
