As an employer, it's your job to reduce risk and protect your workers' safety, but with the potential for so many types of accidents, preventing workplace-related injuries is no easy task. However, just because it's difficult doesn't mean it's impossible. Here are 9 ways you can begin guarding your employees' safety:
Most workplace accidents happen when equipment is being used incorrectly or without sufficient training. One of the best ways to ensure that your employees are properly trained on using equipment is by standardizing your training process. There are two important parts of standardized training:
Every manufacturing facility is different and is therefore subject to different risks. Consider some of the security measures listed below and determine which ones are appropriate and necessary for your establishment.
As diligent as managers can be about protecting their workers, it's easy to overlook safety risks for jobs that they're not actually doing. To avoid this mistake, ask your employees what safety concerns they have. Not only will this allow you to more effectively reduce safety risks, but it also strengthens communication between you and your employees by reminding them that you're interested in their feedback.
In a facility where heavy machinery is constantly moved from place to place and equipment is shuffled around or stacked up, blocking exits is an easy mistake to make. Workers must make a conscious effort to keep emergency exits clear and be held accountable for failing to do so.
Ideally, employees should always be acutely aware of their surroundings; however, as people become more comfortable with their environment, they also become less attentive, and that is when accidents happen. Not only that, but lack of awareness can result in failure to recognize a potential threat such as an intruder intending to commit an act of violence.
Employees should be trained to go about their day with a heightened level of situational awareness in order to reduce risk of injury and also improve threat recognition.
The last thing you need in an emergency is for everyone on the manufacturing floor to panic, but if a clear defense process has not been established, then that is exactly what will happen. Some may freeze; others may hide; and others might fight. The best way for your team to survive in an emergency is for them to be united in their defense strategy.
Consider implementing the following protocol as your manufacturing facility's defense against active shooters or other emergency crisis situations:
Bleeding Control Kits can be used to save the life of someone who experiences a serious injury on the manufacturing floor. Whether the injury was the result of an active shooter or a mechanical failure, the important thing is that all workers know where to find the Bleeding Control Kits and how to use the medical equipment inside so that they can effectively provide aid.
Emergency response training is much like learning a foreign language. If you take the classes and then never use the material, you'll forget it. Ideally, your manufacturing team will never have to use their emergency response training, but refresher courses will ensure that they are prepared to respond in case the need arises.
While a crisis may end after a few hours, the emotional effects linger long after the police cars and ambulances leave. It's important to provide care for your workers' emotional and mental well-being after a traumatic event. Here are some things to consider post-crisis:
Perhaps you'd like a little more information before jumping into a medical training course or active shooter training session. An Industrial Risk Assessment is the perfect place to begin. Start setting your manufacturing facility up for success in case of an emergency by giving us a call at (864) 479-824, or click on the banner to contact us online.