How to ensure employee safety at workplace?

In this fast pacing world, ensuring employee safety at workplace has become a new concern. It is a joint responsibility of management as well as employees to ensure safety & security at workplace.

There have been 121 industrial deaths in FY18, according to a compilation of annual statistics from 13 biggest companies in India. Most of the accidental deaths are reported at the job-related workplace. Employers or the supervisors of the firm are not supposed to underestimate the work, labor, hour and sweat of their employees. Employees play a vital role in exaggerating the high turnover of the companies. A good leader/supervisor must assure proper safety measures for his/her team members.

A study on employee welfare facilities adopted at a popular equipment manufacturing company involving 100 employees observed that 65% of the respondents indicated that they were provided with safety equipment at work in the organization, 35% of them reported that the organization did not provide safety equipment. Management should keep an eye on the safety health programs to ensure worker protection. There are state and federal laws to protect the welfare of the worker. The major one is the Occupational and Safety Health Act (OSHA), which became effective in 1971, whose purpose is “to assure” as far as possible, every working woman and man in the nation safe and healthy working conditions.

Every individual’s safety should be the prime motto of the organization.

No one would like to willingly give 100% in an organization that hardly cares for their employees’ health benefits.

Here are some basic steps you can take to ensure employee safety at workplace.

Awareness of rights

Employees must know their rights while working in an organization. It becomes the prime duty of the employee to read the label, poster and the guidelines of OSHA standards. They can ask for a regular check-up of hazardous products. Government has made strict law to ensure women safety at the workplace. An employee is liable to file a case if he/she is not paid fair wages under Employee Remuneration Act of 1976.

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Sanitation at the workplace

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has shown adverse impact on nation. Hand sanitizers, masks are compulsory in organization. Management must tell everyone to keep close look on cleanliness. Wearing masks, keeping social distancing are mandatory for everyone in a company. Every individual should take proper care of wellbeing of others too. Sanitization is must in areas that are touched often like doorknob, carpet, floor, meeting area and cabin.

Workplace risk assessment

A good employer detects the threats at the workplace in advance. Timely checking of hazardous substances, materials decrease the risk of unfortunate events. A supervisor ought to keep an emergency plan ready to bear the risk.

Self-defence training

Self-protection is the most important aspect of human wellbeing. Not only women but also men need to learn some basic techniques to save from big dangers. Big metro politician cities have shown exponential growth in crime rate. Like killing two birds with one arrow, one can learn safety and have fun at the same time. Check out this video for some basic self- defence moves that everyone should know: https://youtu.be/M4_8PoRQP8w

Mock training at the workplace

Human resource act as a warrior during the time of natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, or avalanche. Having a basic knowledge of protecting ourselves in danger is a good quality of risk-taker. Mock training helps to reduce unwanted stress, panic at the time of crises.

Regular check of equipment

Heavy machinery, equipment requires regular service. Negligence in the installation of equipment invites risk for the employee as well as for management. Equipment like boilers, fire extinguishers, motor parts (automobile) and heavy boxes demands immediate attention. Though the employer must make work culture safe and healthy, that doesn’t mean an employee is free from his/her responsibility. One should remember, ’Prevention is better than cure’.

Transport facilities

It is the responsibility of an employer to make sure his/her employee reach home safe. Small companies enjoy the advantage of keeping records of their employee’s arrival & departure. Companies where employees are obliged to work in night shift or long working hours, should provide cab facilities for safe reach. Senior supervisors are ought to keep driver’s number, home address, mental health issues and other necessary things in the company’s records.

We conclude from the above that security is one of the most important aspects of any business’s responsibilities towards its people. This ensures an increase in employee engagement and productivity. Feel free to comment your experience of any such situation that you met and how you or your business managed it. Any suggestions or advice can also be shared for benefit of all readers.