In 2015/16, an estimated 621,000 people sustained an injury at work while 144 workers were killed as a result of a workplace accident, according to data from the Health and Safety Executive.
Of the accidents that proved non-fatal, 200,000 resulted in over 3 days absence from work and 152,000 led to more than 7 days of absence. With such accidents costing businesses billions of pounds each year, not to mention putting employees’ lives in serious danger, it’s vital that employers do everything they can to keep hazards to a minimum.
Here are just a few ways you can reduce the risk of accidents in your workplace.
Train employees effectively
All employees must be trained to operate in a safe manner. Whether your team run a kitchen in a restaurant or operate machinery in a factory, they should understand the various health and requirements of their particular job.
Ensure workers are using appropriate equipment
Ensure that every member of your team has the equipment and clothing required for their individual role. If an accident was to occur and a worker was not using the correct equipment or had failed to wear protective clothing, as an employer, you could be liable.
Encourage workers to report potential hazards
Although it’s your responsibility as an employer to ensure your business operates in a safe manner, keeping on top of potential hazards can become a team effort. By working as a team to flag potential risks, you can operate in a more effective way and prevent more accidents.
Encourage every member of your team to report any potential hazards that they see. These hazards could be anything from a spillage down an aisle to some faulty electrical equipment.
Keep workspaces clean
Slips, trips and falls account for 37% of all reported workplace injuries and cost the UK approximately 1 billion pounds each year. With 50 people dying as a result of slips, trips and falls annually, it’s crucial that businesses do everything they can to protect employees.
Perhaps one of the most common causes of slips, trips and falls is a cluttered or unclean workspace. When a working environment becomes disorganised or dirty, potential hazards can be disguised and accidents can occur.
So whether you own an office or a warehouse, keeping your workspace as clean as possible can really help to minimise the risk and keep people safe.
If staying on top of workplace cleaning seems like a huge task, it may be wise to hire professional cleaning equipment to get the job done more quickly and effectively. With the help of tools such as scrubber dryers and sweepers, you can maintain your premises to a professional standard without having to devote hours of employees’ time to cleaning. The time is takes to clean your business can be significantly reduced and your workplace will stay cleaner and safer for longer.
Avoid shortcuts
Running a business can be an extremely costly venture, particularly when health and safety matters are taken into account. However, as tempting as shortcuts may be, failing to abide by health and safety legislation could see you having to pay large sums of money to resolve the issue. Not only can shortcuts prove costly for you, they can be life-changing for employees who fall victim to a workplace accident.
To learn more about how Clean Sweep can help you keep your business premises clean and safe, please get in touch with our team.
