Employee safety is a must. Your employees are your company's most valuable resource and greatest responsibility. The good news is that reports of workplace injuries and illnesses decreased by 2.8 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers in 2017 compared to the year before, according to research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The less positive aspect of this data is that approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were still reported.
And even though injuries might be declining, the costs of work-related incidents are climbing. According to the 2018 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, workplace injuries cost businesses more than $58 billion per year, three percent more than the prior year. Along with direct expenses, such as medical bills, indemnity payments and premium increases, workplace injuries, and illnesses have other financial and emotional costs.
Implement Accountability
Management must be accountable for making safety a top priority. Setting clear and realistic goals conveys the message that you take the matter seriously and that you are confident in your employees' commitment to a safe workplace. Sharing your goals with the entire workforce and holding staff accountable for reaching those goals has several benefits.
Provide Employee Safety Training
OSHA recommends four action items regarding employee safety education and training: Provide program awareness training, train employers, managers, and supervisors on their roles in the program, train workers on their specific roles in the safety and health program, and train workers on hazard identification and controls.
Insist on Cleanliness
A clean workplace is a safer workplace. Messes can easily lead to accidents. Establish cleanup policies, including detailed and clearly assigned tasks. Maintaining the workplace throughout the day and cleaning up at the end of each shift is very beneficial.