Safety in the workplace is paramount. Not only do you need to look out for your health and well-being, but when safety isn’t a priority, it has other ramifications, too.
Productivity is impacted, other employees have to take on more work if injuries impact staff members, there are time-consuming and costly legal consequences in some cases, and more.
To help with that issue, we’re going to highlight 8 workplace safety tips that can keep you safe and the company moving smoothly.
Let’s get started.
1: Report Unsafe Conditions
This is one of the most important workplace safety tips we can provide, but unfortunately, it’s also the one that often goes neglected in practice.
When you see something unsafe or against safety protocols going on, you need to report it to the appropriate staff members immediately. This can be anything from seeing unsafe lifting methods to unsafe forklift driving, but regardless of what the behavior is, it needs to be reported.
Even unsafe situations that don’t include other employee behaviors, such as malfunctioning equipment, slippery spots, and similar things need to be reported immediately.
This is the most neglected workplace safety tip on this list because nobody wants to be the employee who tells on everybody, and it can be intimidating to bring such things up to management. It might impact social opportunities at work, cause relationships to deteriorate, etc.
However, it’s nothing to be worried about. Unsafe behavior or conditions need to be reported because if you don’t report them, management can’t do anything about the problem.
A management member might see it and take action eventually, but they’re not capable of constantly monitoring all employees and conditions in the building. By the time they do see it, something horrible has often already happened.
By reporting unsafe behaviors and conditions, you’re protecting yourself, your coworkers, and the business itself.
2: Take All Your Breaks
Breaks aren’t just there for your comfort and leisure. They play a major part in workplace safety.
If you’re working 8-12 hours per day, you are putting your body through a lot of stress. Whether you’re working at a desk job or a labor job, there are physical and mental challenges to worry about.
Your breaks are designed to give you a short time to collect yourself, relax your muscles, stretch a bit if you need to, etc.
As such, you need to take all of the breaks you’re legally owed. This shouldn’t be a problem, because break guidelines are legally regulated, but some companies will turn a blind eye, or they might even pressure you to skip breaks.
Take your breaks, and if a company is preventing you from doing so, they need to be reported. We’ll have more information on that, later.
3: Work on Your Posture
Whether you’re constantly kneeling and lifting things as a stocker overnight, or you’re filling out paperwork on a computer all day, having the correct posture is part of your safety.
In any situation, you’ll be doing a lot of repetitive movements or sitting in the same position for hours on end. If you have an incorrect posture, you risk major injuries.
The back is the most common place that an injury occurs because of posture issues, and that can put you out of work for weeks, or it can even lead to you developing a serious, lifelong, pain problem.
4: Wear PPE
This doesn’t apply to every job, but many jobs have PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, that is required for anyone in a certain position.
This includes things such as gloves when handling things that might be contaminated or can contaminate you, anti-cut clothing while using certain machines or knives, anti-slip shoes, masks, and a variety of other things designed to keep you safe.
You must always wear all the required PPE for your position. It might be uncomfortable, not fashionable, or even a hindrance, but it was determined through exorbitant research that you need that equipment to be safe during work.
When you don’t wear it, you put yourself at risk of injuries and other serious issues that were avoidable.
For the most part, PPE will be covered by the employer and reiterated with signage. If that’s not the case, we’ll highlight a solution later.
5: Don’t Take Shortcuts
Every company is going to have a series of steps for every process that needs to be accomplished each day. Sometimes, it seems like a step or two might be unnecessary, and you might think it’s okay to skip those things.
Don’t.
The step-by-step processes outlined by the company are in place for a variety of reasons ranging from productivity to minimizing human error. That includes preventing dangerous situations from arising.
6: Stay Aware
It’s always tempting to zone out at work. As long as a task is getting done, many employees think it makes the time go by faster to zone out and let their minds drift.
That’s an easy way to find yourself in a dangerous situation without knowing what’s going on.
Always stay focused on your job and your surroundings.
7: Know Emergency Exits and Keep Them Free of Obstacles
Emergency exits are crucial. If a major incident occurs, such as a fire or a dangerous intruder, the emergency exits might be your only way out.
You should know where emergency exits are, and you should ensure that they’re always free of obstacles. If they aren’t, remove the obstacle or report it to management.
8: Always Stay Up-To-Date
Workplace safety protocols are dynamic; they can change due to new laws or because a different protocol may prove more effective. It is crucial that you actively keep yourself informed about these updates.
Familiarizing yourself with labor law compliance notices will help you adhere to the latest safety standards, ensuring you minimize risks and maintain a safe work environment at all times.
Get Help with Learning Workplace Safety from Labor Law OSHA Posters
If you’re an employee who never saw these workplace safety tips, or you’re an employer who wants to ensure your employees know their rights, workplace safety obligations, and who they can report unsafe conditions to, Labor Law OSHA Posters has the solution for you.
We offer up-to-date labor law posters for every state, ensuring your compliance is seamless and stress-free.
Get in touch with us today!