The Many Benefits of a Safe Workplace

Everyone knows that we should keep our workplaces safe.  But how often do you think about all the benefits of a safe workplace? 

Obviously, the primary reasons to improve workplace safety are to prevent injury and death and to reduce regulatory liability.  But there is a much bigger picture. Safe workplaces have been proven to provide a positive financial impact to both public and private sector organizations. 

How? Let’s look at some of the ways:

• Reduction in financial loss
• Reduction in property damage
• Increased worker productivity
• Increased worker satisfaction
• Increased service and product quality
• Improved public relations & reputation

In short, a safe workplace protects your most valuable assets – your employees.  If they are happy and safe, your organization realizes substantial benefits.

The best news is that getting started on the path to a safer workplace is easy!  Some of your options include (from OSHA):

1. Establish safety and health as a core value. Tell your workers that making sure they finish the day and go home safely is the way you do business. Assure them that you will work with them to find and fix any hazards that could injure them or make them sick.
2. Lead by example. Practice safe behaviors yourself and make safety part of your daily conversations with workers.
3. Implement a reporting system. Develop and communicate a simple procedure for workers to report any injuries, illnesses, incidents (including near misses/close calls), hazards, or safety and health concerns, without fear of retaliation. Include an option for reporting hazards or concerns anonymously.
4. Provide training. Train workers on how to identify and control hazards in the workplace, as well as report injuries, illnesses, and near misses.
5. Conduct inspections. Inspect the workplace with workers and ask them to identify any activity, piece of equipment, or materials that concern them. Use checklists to help identify problems.
6. Collect hazard control ideas. Ask workers for ideas on improvements and follow up on their suggestions. Provide them time during work hours, if necessary, to research solutions.
7. Implement hazard controls. Assign workers the task of choosing, implementing, and evaluating the solutions they come up with.
8. Address emergencies. Identify foreseeable emergency scenarios and develop instructions on what to do in each case. Meet to discuss these procedures and post them in a visible location in the workplace.
9. Seek input on workplace changes. Before making significant changes to the workplace, work organization, equipment, or materials, consult with workers to identify potential safety or health issues.
10. Make improvements. Set aside a regular time to discuss safety and health issues, with the goal of identifying ways to improve the program.

Looking for an expert opinion on the safety of your workplace?  Why not go to the source?  OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses.  More information here:  OSHA Consultations

OSHA also provides some great materials to help you get started (or spruce up) your safety programs:  Recommended Practices

Or if you’re in Minnesota: MNOSHA Consultations

Novus can also help with program specific services or service bundles. Contact us today to learn more.