Workplace injuries cost companies, insurance providers and workman’s compensation millions of dollars a year and cause employees pain and lost wages. The United State Department of Labor notes that preventing illness and injury is an effective strategy to assist employers in reducing such incidents.
Employers who wish to improve safety measures in the workplace can invest in building a safety culture that employees can adopt and follow, and keeping a few tips in mind while doing so can help them feel more confident during the process.
1. Engage employees
Employers who engage their workers in safety measures can generate interest by forming safety teams, creating safety practice drills and rewarding employees who follow positive safety habits. Keeping safety at the forefront of every employee’s mind can allow safety culture to grow in a more organic manner.
2. Improve safety policies
Employers with minimal or outdated safety policies can improve workplace safety by improving or revising existing safety rules. For example, if new types of technology used at the workplace have no existing safety guidelines, this may cause accidents when uninformed employees attempt to operate the equipment. An annual review of all safety guidelines can prevent these issues.
3. Set attainable safety goals
When employees have attainable safety goals, employers have more opportunities to offer rewards, such as team outings and gift cards for those who contribute to the safety culture. Attainable goals can also prevent apathy regarding safety rules.
Employers who wish to begin building a safety culture may have more success when they start small and build toward a more complex collection of safety practices.