5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Workplace Safety

Creating a safe work environment is every business’s goal. Yet it is not uncommon for people to get so caught up in operations that safety takes a back seat to productivity — especially during the busiest seasons.

It’s worthwhile to set aside time for safety according to a regular schedule. Whether it is formalized safety audits or casual walks through your workplace, it’s often easy to spot safety deficiencies that can easily be corrected. Here are five to things to look for.

Chemical Labeling

Chemicals pose a particular danger because every business uses them and very few take the time and trouble to label them properly. Yet if there is an accidental spill or exposure, it’s imperative that chemicals be identified.

Check to make sure every chemical in your operation is properly labeled and that there is a corresponding page in your Materials Safety Data Sheet binder. Also, the binder should be available to all workers at all times and everybody needs to know where it is.

Lockout/Tagout

Equipment that is broken or out of service needs to be locked out and tagged out so that somebody else doesn’t accidentally try to use it.

Keep a supply of lockout/tagout supplies available and inform workers where to find them and how to use them.

Electrical and Extension Cords

Electrical cords in a busy workplace take a beating. Frayed or worn cords pose an electrocution hazard.

Look for cords that are in poor repair and replace them immediately with new ones. Keep spare electrical cords and extension cords available at all times.

Housekeeping Failures

A clean workplace is a safer workplace. But in the heat of battle, housekeeping is often the first thing to be abandoned.

Create and enforce workplace housekeeping standards. If it’s simply not possible to handle all the housekeeping tasks yourself, contract a cleaning service to keep your business neat and orderly at all times, even when it’s super busy.

Working at Height

In any workplace where storage space is at a premium, the logical place to look is up. But storing materials at heights creates built-in dangers.

If you do have employees working at heights, make sure they have the right tools for the job, such as personnel lift attachments for your forklift, a cherry picker, or even a telehandler.

Walking through any workplace, it’s easy to spot safety hazards that have quick fixes. Look for these five and you can instantly improve the safety and security of your operation.