10 Ways to Reduce Workplace Injuries

Here are 10 straight forward ways to reduce Workplace Injuries in your Business from the team at Urban Group.

1. Communicate your health and safety policy to all staff. Every business is required to have one, and if you employ more than 5 staff, it must be in writing and available for employees to read. This might be by including it in induction packs, staff handbooks or posting it on a notice board.
2. Assess the risks. All businesses are obliged to carry out a health and safety risk assessment. Consider all the potential hazards in your workplace. For example, are employees required to carry heavy items or work from height? Or is there any chance that customers could trip or hurt themselves on your premises? Keep a written record of your risk assessment and any steps you take to reduce the chance of accidents.
3. Deal with any hazards promptly. According to Workcover, slips and falls account for more than a third of all workplace accidents – mainly caused by preventable dangers like slippery floor surfaces, trailing cables and poor lighting. Reducing risk is usually straightforward, so act quickly to mop up spillages, repair broken steps and encourage staff to report maintenance faults straightaway.
4. Invite feedback from staff on safety improvements. Create a safer workplace by consulting with staff on risk management, inviting feedback on safety issues and encouraging your team to flag up workplace hazards.
5. Display safety information clearly. Make sure you stay within the law by clearly displaying safety signs for staff and customers – for example, directions to emergency exits, warnings about moving industrial vehicles or providing information on the location of first-aid equipment.
6. Maintain comfort and cleanliness. Aside from providing basics such as clean working toilets, adequate lighting and drinking water, you must also provide appropriate tools. Try to provide the most ergonomic layout to reduce the chance of injuries such as a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Buying cheap chairs and desks is a false economy in half your employees end up with back problems.
7. Provide first aid supplies. The minimum businesses are required to provide is a suitably stocked first-aid, a person appointed to take charge of first-aid management and information for staff on first-aid arrangements. Ideally, you should arrange emergency first-aid training for the appointed person in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and helping someone who is unconscious or bleeding.
8. Meet fire safety standards. You are obliged to carry our regular fire safety risk assessments and maintain a fire management plan that identifies possible hazards. Typical workplace breaches can include blocking fire exits, propping open fire doors and failing to train staff in evacuation procedures.
9. Learn from any mistakes. If someone is injured, however slight, take steps to ensure it cannot happen again. The law insists you keep a record of all accidents or illnesses that happen to your employees during working hours – this can be a simple record book or computerised log.
10. Keep safety procedures updated. Don’t forget to review your policies at least once a year or more often if you are expanding fast. Keep up to date with legislation – remember it’s your job to stay within the law.

To make sure you are fully compliant with all current legislation, call Urban Group today for a free consultation on how we can make your workplace a safer and more efficient working environment. Phone Us on 07 3620 8500 or Contact Us here.