4 Common Workplace Safety Errors and How to Avoid Them

Have you had an accident at work? Or maybe one of your employers has?

An accidental fall can cause serious injury. When it occurs in the workplace, the employer must take responsibility for the well-being and recovery of their employees. Workplace safety errors are never their fault. 

The result of an accidental fall is that even if the employee recovers and the employer pays for the treatment and costs, this can lead to the worst-case scenario, in which the employer faces lawsuits and reputational damage.

 Accidents at work can happen despite the best safety programs. Certain strategic measures can help to prevent accidents.

Here’s everything you need to know about workplace safety errors.  

1. Training Employees

Employees should be trained in the safe use of tools and equipment as well as their rights under U.S labor laws.

Lack of training can lead to future risks. If an employee does not understand how to operate a machine, he may end up causing damage to the equipment around him.

Such occupational hazards can be avoided by providing timely training and conducting tests and evaluations to measure employee understanding. 

Neck and eye problems are common problems faced by people in corporate offices. Watch the people around you, most tend to sit back and stare at their laptops or mobile devices. Sitting in front of a laptop can cause strain on the eyes, which can lead to reduced eyesight over a long period of time. 

To ensure that employees maintain the correct posture at work, you can roll out an email highlighting the importance of the correct posture and the health problems that can be avoided.

For desk workers, there are certain ideal postures: when working at the computer, you should sit with your shoulders and feet on the floor and arms at a certain angle. Unfortunately, some people tend to follow these rules, which can affect them in the long run.

The key principle to all training and systems is the OHS system. You must ensure the correct personal know all about using OHS management systems

2. Regular Maintenance 

Wet floors can cause people to fall more often than you think. Over time, any form of liquid spilled on the ground can go unnoticed.

Routine floor cleaning can help to keep the environment clean and avoid unfortunate accidents at work. Your management team should ensure you have a clean floor at all times. 

Simple measures such as vigilance and awareness of potential hazards can help maintain safety at work. When we see something lying on the ground, we tend to ignore it and go straight over it. However, it is mobile and can cause someone to stumble, fall or get out of the way. Ask the person concerned to have them removed.

Sometimes we overlook or overlook certain obvious things that could pose a potential danger. Even minor incidents can lead to something big. Take, for example, a nail poking through the wall. The nail may not have grazed or stung, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

Such failures should be avoided to avoid undesirable incidents. If you happen to see a stray or loose wire, report it to the relevant team and repair or remove it immediately.

3. Stress 

Work-related problems can seriously affect a worker’s mental wellbeing. Stress at work is as bad as secondhand smoke. It can be caused by long working hours, conflicts with employees and managers, and too much work pressure.

It can demotivate employees and lead to high turnover. Stress can also lead to many additional health risks. To tackle this problem, you can encourage staff to get in touch and inform HR managers about work-related stress.

Even if you cannot offer a solution straight away remind them that you will endeavor to help them. Try to create a balanced work environment that keeps your employees happy and stress-free.

4. Healthy Culture 

People in desk jobs spend an average of 7-8 hours a day. Having an uncomfortable chair can only increase their suffering. It is also one of the most common safety hazards. 

The last thing you want is for an employee to fall off a chair at work. If there is a chair with a broken wheel, handrest, or backrest, make sure it is secured.

Some workplaces are trying to integrate a healthier work culture. To increase productivity, some employees encourage them to remain active. You are encouraged to take breaks, stretch and relax.

Many corporate offices have introduced standing desks to avoid sitting for hours. In some places, employees are even allowed to move around the office with their laptops and sit wherever they want.

Delaying maintenance can cost an employee his life. Certain things should not be postponed to a later date, and safety at work is one of them.

Regular inspections can help you avoid future problems. All machines, servers, and air conditioners should be inspected and cleaned if necessary. Do not place the inspection tools outside the system.

When you start a workplace safety plan, you can see that there are existing problems that persist in the workplace. These can be uneven floors, leaking walls, pest infestation, etc. Find out what problems your employees are facing and, based on these problems, you can design an effective plan to eliminate them.

Workplace Safety Errors Cost Money and Lives

As an employee, you should create well-thought-out and effective safety training and ongoing processes.

You should consider OSHA-approved guidelines to create safe working conditions and ensure safety at work. By taking the necessary precautions and avoiding the mistakes above, you can keep your workplace safe and accident-free.

Ask your employees to be proactive in reporting any potential safety hazards they might see.  If you are interested in learning more about workplace safety errors or accidents at work, be sure to check out the rest of our site.

Clarissa Cooke

Clarissa Cooke