How to improve employee safety in a business

by Startacus Admin

Ensuring your employees are safe in the workplace is a must. Here are a few of the best ways that you can do just that.

Whether you have a team of ten or a team of a hundred, ensuring staff safety is vital for business. According to latest figures from HSE, 142 workers were killed in work accidents in 2020/21, with agricultural, forestry and fishing, and construction sectors being the most dangerous.  Employers have a duty of care to protect staff, from not only physical harm, but mental harm too.  

Of course, employees also have a part to play in workplace safety, but this can only be achieved if there is a good relationship between employee and employer. The benefits of making safety a priority not only positively affects the employee’s quality of work, but it can increase productivity and staff retention; all of which have an impact on the bottom line.  

Workplace training 

One of the best ways to improve employee safety is by providing ongoing workplace training. Inadequate training is one of the main contributing factors for employee injury and even death. Implementing a training programme for not only new starters, but for long-standing employees to attend refresher courses is essential.  

After training, employee feedback can help employers ascertain what parts of the training is missing and how it can be improved upon.  

Ongoing assessments and inspections 

One you have a robust health and safety policy in place that sets out the responsibilities of the employer and employee, it’s important you carry out regular risk assessments. This will help you evaluate your workplace and where any potential hazards can be found that could impact the safety and security of your staff and business.  

Comfortable surroundings 

Employee surroundings can have a huge impact on employee safety. From ensuring they have the correct office set-up with regards to supportive chairs and screen height to installing anti-fatigue mats, like these offered here, which should be available to staff who spend the majority of their day standing.

Making the work environment more comfortable can have a long-term positive impact on employee’s health.  

Open communication 

In order for employees to feel safe and secure at work they must feel like they are able to talk openly and honestly with their employer and team members. That way, if health and safety issues arise, you know you will be informed as soon as possible, and you can therefore affect a change.  

You should also encourage your employees to share their own ideas about how to improve health and safety. This can be done anonymously or during 121 monthly catchups.  

Encourage mental health support

In recent years we’ve seen a marked increase in mental health-related sickness absence, with Mind finding that one in six people report experiencing mental health problems in any given week. Implementing a robust mental health support system is therefore essential for safeguarding employees.  

In fact, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are legally required to protect employee mental health. This can be anything from stress and depression to anxiety or another condition.

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Published on: 17th September 2021