How to Keep Employees Safe While on the Clock

[This article was written by Rachelle Wilber.]

When you’re the boss, it’s your job to look out for the health and safety of your employees. While you can never be one hundred percent certain that there will never be an accident at the workplace, you can take all sorts of measures to promote safety and limit risk. Not only will prioritizing safety keep your employees healthy, but it will also show them how much you care about them. This, in turn, will make them work harder (since they’ll appreciate you more as a compassionate, caring boss). The exact methods of promoting safety will depend on the particular characteristics of your business, but these general tips apply to almost any industry.

Instill Rules Regarding the Use of Equipment

Lots of jobs require the use of heavy and potentially-dangerous equipment. If your workplace has this type of machinery, then you need to implement policies that will help keep workers safe. From requiring two people for certain jobs to restricting access to experienced veterans, there are all sorts of rules that can help promote safety. Make sure these expectations are clearly delineated during trainings, meetings, and everyday interactions.

Fire Protection Engineers

Nothing puts your employees’ health at risk like a catastrophic fire. When buildings lack adequate planning and fire protection, this potential hazard becomes even more of a risk. Fire protection engineers can assess your business for potential problems and help you fire-proof your workplace.

Put Policies in Place to Limit the Spread of Diseases

While the recent coronavirus pandemic has brought renewed attention to the issue, sanitation and hygiene have always been important concerns. As the boss, you need to make sure that germs and bacteria are not allowed to fester in the workplace. By imposing social distancing policies as long as the pandemic lasts and making sanitation a priority in the long term, you can help keep your workers from getting sick.

Create a Culture of Safety

As important as rules and policies are for safety, they won’t amount to much if employees don’t actually follow them. By invoking your guidelines on a regular basis and modeling good behavior yourself, you can create a lasting culture around prioritizing safety.

The best bosses recognize that their workers are their most important asset. By taking the measures outlined above, you can keep your employees safe while showing them how much you value their work for your company.

Author Bio:

Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @RachelleWilber; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009221637700