Preventing workplace injuries requires teamwork between employers and employees. Taking a proactive approach can help minimize the risk of severe injuries and reduce the number of workers’ compensation claims. Between the cost of medical bills and loss of productivity, workplace accidents can be costly.
At Petro Cohen, we have years of experience dealing with workers’ compensation and personal injury claims. From our experience, we recognize some best practices and accident prevention workplace tips. Read on to learn more about how you can minimize the risk of on-the-job injuries.
Implement Safety Protocols and Procedures
Employers should develop and implement protocols immediately if there are no existing safety rules and procedures. They should be well-documented and accessible to all employees. Employees should also be required to attend mandatory safety training.
Conduct Regular Risk Assessments
Employers should regularly evaluate the workplace for any potential hazards. For example, they should conduct safety checks for machinery-related risks, work processes, dangerous chemicals, etc. They should maintain records of these checks for future reference.
Use Protective Equipment
Incorporating the use of safety equipment is crucial to preventing workplace injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the leading causes of workplace injuries is overexertion. Wearing proper safety equipment, such as a back brace, can help with some overexertion injuries. Workers around dangerous machinery or equipment need to always utilize appropriate protective equipment.
Provide Ergonomic Workspaces
Hire an ergonomics expert to verify workspaces have an optimal setup. Accident prevention in the workplace extends to ergonomics because some injuries are not tied to one incident. Instead, they are repetitive stress injuries that occur over time, often from positions that require a lot of strain. Employees should have access to ergonomic tools and equipment and receive training to help prevent these types of injuries.
Maintain a Clean Work Environment
Keeping a tidy and safe work environment can help reduce the risk of slip and fall or trip and fall accidents. The National Safety Council reports that the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths in the workplace is falls. Falls do not necessarily have to be from heights, either. In 2020, 136 workers died from falls on the same level.
Conduct Regular Safety Training
Companies should have training sessions that cover a wide variety of topics, including safety practices, how to use safety equipment, emergency procedures, and more. Requiring employees to undergo a refresher course every so often, especially for high-risk positions, is highly advisable.
Regularly Inspect and Maintain Equipment
Keeping a safe work environment also means regularly inspecting and maintaining machinery. Workers on assembly lines are at a high risk of injury when a machine malfunctions or stops working. Employees who have to try and fix something during peak assembly times could be seriously injured if they are rushing.
Encourage Open Communication
Companies should create a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting concerns and potential safety hazards. Employees should not feel scared or dismissed when they bring up a concern or safety hazard. Employees might also have suggestions and ideas on implementing additional safety precautions. Employers should be open to hearing these ideas and suggestions as they could help reduce workplace accidents.
Implement a Wellness Program
Everyone should feel supported at work. Companies can invest in wellness programs to help employees incorporate holistic practices into their lives. Whether working out more or learning how to manage stress, healthy and happier employees are less prone to workplace injuries. Wellness programs are also a benefit that many job-seekers look for. That can lead to greater employee retention, so there’s less turnover and risk of injury from new employees.
Learn from Past Accidents and Injuries
Companies should take the time to learn from previous accidents and mistakes. Start by analyzing near-misses and accidents to understand what went wrong. Look at how similar occurrences can be prevented in the future. If the same machine part injured three workers in a year, there is a need to look at what is happening. By analyzing these accidents, a company can identify a safer alternative that eliminates the risk of injury in the future.
Keep Up to Date on Industry Best Practices
Everyone should stay updated on what the latest safety trends are. Keep abreast of new regulations, statistics, and other companies’ actions. Look at annual statistics from sources such as OSHA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Safety Council, and other industry-specific publications.
Loading...