5 Ways To Encourage Better Safety In The Workplace

The cost of on-the-job injuries can place a heavy financial burden on companies. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA), U.S. businesses spend $170 billion on injuries and illness.Taking the initiative to create a safe working environment can reduce these costs by 20-40%. But how exactly do you encourage better safety in the workplace?

#1) Offer Incentives

Offering incentives to employees is a simple yet highly effective way to encourage better safety. The trucking industry is a perfect example of how to encourage safety among employees. Truck drivers are often rewarded with trophies, plaques, gift cards and other goodies for driving X amount of miles without an accident. The allure of earning a reward in addition to their normal pay encourages truckers to strive for accident-free driving.

#2) Create a 'Safety' Bulletin Board

Do you have a safety bulletin board in your workplace? If not, you should consider creating one. Just as the name suggests, it's a bulletin board that contains all of the pertinent information about on-the-job accidents, safety procedures, and methods of response. if there's a problematic area in your workplace that could injure an employee, make a note of it on the safety bulletin board.

#3) Communication

Communication (or lack thereof) plays a major role in workplace injuries. When workers fail to communicate with one another, the risk of injury goes up. On the other hand, workers who are able to communicate with one another experience lower rates of injury.

#4) Safety Training

Some employers believe that safety training is only necessary when a worker initially joins the company. Once he or she has been trained for their respective, they are ready to work a countless number of years for the company -- at least that's the mentality behind some employers. Unfortunately, this type of thinking often results in higher rates of employee injury, as workers may forget critical elements related to their training.

Employers should encourage safety in the workplace by creating on-going training programs.

#5) Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

PPE refers to any type of gear of equipment that's worn for the sole purpose of preventing injury or illness. It may include safety goggles, noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, gloves, steel-toed boots and respirators. Depending on the particular industry, PPE may be necessary to prevent injury, and making it 'optional' or turning a blind-eye to workers who fail to wear the appropriate PPE could result in injury and OHSA fines.

What Steps Do You Take To Create a Safe Workplace?