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Workplace safety should be an essential concern for employees and employers. While the company should always take enough precautions to ensure the workplace is safe, employees should also take responsibility for themselves. This blog discusses the top essential safety tips for employees so they are always safe at work. Let’s begin.
1) Always beware of unsafe conditions
Employees should be aware of their surroundings and report any possible safety hazard to their supervisors immediately. By law, your supervisor is responsible for providing a safe working environment. However, this is not possible without the contribution of employees in keeping the workplace environment free of hazards.
After reporting the workplace issue to your employer, any delay from their end in getting the situation under control will be considered a breach of “duty of care.” In such a case, the employer can be held liable in case of any workplace injury. It is best to work with worker’s compensation lawyers in Chicago as they can help you navigate through the legal process better.
2) Wear the proper safety gear
Always wear the proper safety gear and protective clothing and equipment when working. It can include clothing, sunglasses, hard hats, earplugs, boots, and gloves to safety goggles. Employees should also be trained on correctly using safety equipment and their maintenance and proper care.
3) Always be aware of the emergency exits
Emergency exits are the safest passageways that provide a clear way to evacuate the work premises in case of any potential hazard or accident. It’s easy to forget about these exits with time and without sufficient workplace safety training. As an employee, it is essential to be aware of the safety features in case of an emergency. Make sure you know how to identify the sound of the alarm so you can take the necessary precautions when needed. Be sure to keep fire extinguishers up-to-date and usable in an emergency. Inspection for emergency exits is a good idea. This should include ensuring that all emergency exits are quick to reach in case of an emergency.
4) Follow Safety Protocols
Safety protocols should not be taken for granted by an employee. Companies should ensure that employees know the safety protocols and abide by them. While safety protocols vary from company to company and the type of work, this may generally include any of the following.
Staying hydrated: It is essential to encourage workers to stay hydrated, especially those working in extreme temperatures. Management should make employees aware of the importance of hydration and how it impacts their health and work productivity.
Stay focussed: Distraction in the workplace has become more common than ever; however, this can even get deadly in some workplace environments. Employers should be made to learn about the importance of staying focused in their work environment. For example, someone working in a nuclear reactor cannot afford to use cell phones for texting, and constant calling, as this can cause a major disaster.
Team building events: Teamwork is important in any organization to ensure the maximum safety of the workplace. If employees are not on the same page, this can easily create communication issues between the employees leading to bad safety practices in the workplace.
5) Cleanliness
Cleanliness in the work area is essential. Employees should make it a point to ensure that the workplace is always clean, organized, and safe. This helps to avoid any slips, trips, and falls. It also reduces the chances of getting injured by any hazardous equipment—for example, gas leaks, oil spills, etc.
Common Hazards in the workplace
It’s equally important to first identify the potential workplace hazards and train employees for the same. Some potential workplace hazards that can cause injuries include the following.
- Slips, trips, and falls: These are among the most common workplace hazards and are significant reasons for several injuries. Slips and falls can occur in various places such as parking lots, manufacturing industries, oil industries, offices, etc., and can occur due to possible spills, walking on slippery surfaces, absence of railing, tripping over obstacles, protruding objects, or falling from height.
- Moving machinery: Many workplaces contain dangerous equipment and machinery that can cause serious injury if not used properly or are poorly maintained.
- Excessive noise: Many industries, such as construction, blasting and bulldozing companies, have a noisy environment that can cause problems in hearing or even complete hair loss over time.
- Chemical and biological hazards: These can include harmful chemicals and toxins, such as dangerous gasses, corrosives, and allergen-causing chemicals, as well as diseases and infections.
- Extreme temperatures: Working in extreme temperatures require employees to wear PPE clothing and other safety gears that may cause health problems, such as heat stroke or hypothermia.
Final Words
It is important to be aware of these hazards and follow the steps mentioned above to protect yourself from harm. Always follow the safety instructions provided by your employer. In case of an emergency or problem, report any unsafe conditions to your supervisor immediately.
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