Optimise Health and Safety in the Workplace: There’s no doubt that the concept of health and safety has become an increasingly pressing concern in the UK of late, with the figures released for the year 2018/19 highlighting some stark revelations.
For example, an estimated 1.4 million working people were suffering from work-related ill-health during this period, while 147 individuals lost their lives in the workplace.
But what steps can you take to optimise the health and safety of employees in your workplace? Here are some ideas to keep in mind:
#1. Carry Out Relevant Risk Assessments
Let’s start with the basics; as you’ll initially need to understand the health and safety hazards that are most pertinent to your business before you take steps to negate these.
This should be a proactive and in-depth process and one that involves the consultation of employees and the various health and safety risks that they encounter during the course of their job on a daily basis.
Another key element of this process is to provide further training and education on how to avoid these hazards, while also introducing stringent and consistent reporting procedures for employees to follow.
Such risk assessments can ultimately lead to more informed decisions, which help to safeguard your employees and the wider reputation of your business.
#2. Provide Employees With the Correct PPE
During the coronavirus pandemic, the failure to provide various types of key workers with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) became a much publicised and highly controversial issue.
While this issue is most prevalent in the public sector, it’s also a crucial component of any safe and functional private sector factory setting, so you must ensure that your employees have access to the correct PPE to carry out their everyday duties.
This should also be maintained on a recurring basis, along with frequent training on the use of equipment and the available safety routes within a particular space (which must also be kept clear at all times).
This must also be a long-term process, and one that’s carried out consistently within relevant areas and departments of your business.
#3. Keep the Workplace Well Ventilated
On another note, it’s crucial that you maintain an open and well-ventilated workplace, particularly within workspaces where potentially harmful fumes are emitted on a regular basis.
This can maintain a consistently clean flow of air, which maintains the physical wellbeing of staff members and minimises the risk of systematic workplace illnesses.
On a similar note, you should also create working schedules that enable your staff members to take regular and scheduled breaks, as this also aids mental wellbeing and helps your business to comply with national law.
Finally, it’s really important that you maintain a comfortable working environment, which is kept at a constant and legally compliant temperature that doesn’t create either oppressive heat or extended periods of cold.