Did you know 4.1 million workers will suffer from a severe job-related illness or injury each year? If you want to learn how to prevent common workplace injuries, we can help.
In this guide, we’ll go over how to prevent a work-related injury. Learn how to make your work environment a safe space for employees.
Want to learn more? Keep reading.
Observe Your Team
To prevent injuries at work, make sure you and other managers or supervisors observe the workplace.
Pain, discomfort, or fatigue are signs that a workplace injury could occur in the next little while. By observing and looking out for these signs, you can prevent potential injuries.
Communicate With Your Team
A lot of occupational illnesses or injuries can get prevented by clear communication.
You want to encourage your employees to share how they’re feeling during their shift. Make your work culture one of open communication.
If a team member talks about pain or discomfort, make sure you respond.
You’ll want to complete an assessment. Look at the equipment, ergonomics, work process flow, and task demands. These factors will help you determine the cause behind the discomfort.
Remaining communicative and observing your workforce will help you prevent future injuries.
Create a company culture that encourages clear communication. You can prevent work-related injuries and deal with symptoms.
Educate Your Employees
Managers should set up a consistent educational program focusing on workplace injury prevention. Share information on steps to take to reduce injuries and warning sign detection.
Educational content should also tell employees to report early injury warning signs. Employees should be aware of warning signs in their bodies. Discomfort or fatigue are warning signs that our bodies send us.
If your employees notice these symptoms, you need to check their work process. You want to try and prevent any further adverse effects.
Be proactive, and you can help prevent common workplace injuries.
Get Rid Of Hazards
Your employees should be aware of their surroundings. As a manager or business owner, you also want to assess the hazards in your workplace.
Looking for hazards or risks is essential when trying to prevent workplace injuries.
Hazard assessments also let a team review, analyze, and check the work environment. Accident prevention is key to keeping team members safe.
If employees use heavy machinery, make sure there are equipment safeguards in place.
You’ll also want to encourage team members to report safety risks or hazards. Set up a station where they can submit their report or ask them to email a specific supervisor.
Share Safety Procedures and Policies
Workplace injuries will harm your employees and can negatively impact your overall business. Make early prevention a priority. Keeping your team safe and healthy should be one of the main safety goals for businesses.
When you teach and share resources about workplace injuries, you empower employees. The strategies will help you cut down on workers’ compensation costs too.
You want to have a protocol for sharing company safety procedures. Consider revisiting the procedures a few times throughout the year.
A safety policy should detail what will happen if something goes wrong. Employees should get copies of the procedure.
Invest In Safety and Health Training
A lot of business owners tend to provide some safety training for the new employees. Yet, you want to strive to make safety awareness part of company culture.
Meet with your employees often to talk about safety. Encourage employees to go to industry safety classes or workshops.
Current employees should be able to point out the top occupational hazards in their area of work.
Employees should also explain how to prevent these accidents from occurring. Can they explain the procedure for handling a workplace accident?
Provide your team members with information about how to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Make sure the break room’s filled with healthy snacks. Encourage your team members to go for a short walk at lunch or stand up and stretch between work tasks.
You could also invite different healthcare professionals to talk to your staff. They might discuss ways to reduce stress or find a better work-life balance.
Healthy workforces tend to have minor injuries and recover faster. Encourage a healthy and safe workplace.
Ask for feedback from your team. Ask them to provide recommendations on how to make the workplace a healthier place. Employees who feel valued are more productive.
You Might Have to Provide Workers Compensation
Even if you invest in a lot of health and safety training, accidents will still occur, and people get injured. If an accident occurs, make sure you have worker’s compensation insurance.
If someone gets injured, worker’s compensation insurance will cover their expenses. If you don’t have insurance, your employee might look at getting a workers comp lawyer.
Make sure you have a well-written protocol on the steps to take after a work injury. Go over the policy with your employees.
Now You Know How to Prevent a Work-Related Injury
We hope this guide on workplace injuries was helpful. Establish open lines of communication at work and emphasize work safety.
Educate your employees on work-safe practices. Encourage them to watch out for early symptoms. Make sure you have adequate workers’ compensation coverage.
Revisit safety policies during the year to prevent a work-related injury.
Was this guide helpful? You can learn more helpful tips for your business by checking out the rest of our blog.
