Here’s something you already know: you should never cut corners when it comes to health and safety. 

After all, not only do safety failings cost employers millions each year, but they can also have a negative effect on your business at large, impacting everything from your reputation to your employee retention rates. In severe cases, health and safety issues can also lead to legal troubles. 

This means that, as a business owner, you should always look for ways in which you can improve health and safety standards, whether you’re working in a busy factory or an office.  Looking for some inspiration? Check out some top tips below!

Refresh your team’s knowledge annually. While health and safety training is usually considered to be part of the onboarding process, you can keep employees protected on the job by running annual refresher training. This ensures that your policies remain at the forefront of their mind and that you are doing everything you can to keep your team safe. Furthermore, it also ensures that you are taking the latest safety regulations and guidelines into account.

Invest in life safety solutions. Investing in life safety solutions, such as sprinkler systems, advanced communication systems, and fire extinguishers, is another great way to protect both your business and your team. After all, it means that you can respond quickly in the case of an emergency, minimizing accidents, injuries, and damage to the property – all while ensuring that you are putting your team first.

If you aren’t sure what equipment you need within your business, be sure to discuss your day-to-day practices with the provider. They will then be able to provide you with specially tailored advice relating to which of their bespoke solutions will work best for your business, ensuring that you are covering all of your bases when it comes to health and safety.

Carry out regular risk assessments. Conducting regular risk assessments means that you are leaving nothing to chance when identifying potential hazards within the workplace, whether that’s something seemingly benign, such as a tripping risk, or something more serious, such as faulty machinery or equipment. It also means that you’re then able to do something about it as quickly as possible. 

Ensure that everyone is on the same page. Ensuring that your employees have a thorough understanding of all aspects of your company’s health and safety policy is also crucial. After all, this ensures that: 

• They act in a way that upholds your stringent health and safety standards. 
• They’re able to identify when others may be falling short of health and safety standards and take action accordingly.
• They are able to speak up should they think something is wrong.
• They know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency, from the initial response to reporting. 

The easiest way to achieve this goal is to have regular conversations about workplace safety while also stressing exactly why it is so important. 

Replace PPE. While you are likely already well aware of the fact your employees may need to access PPE in order to work effectively, you should also ensure that it is replaced when necessary. For example, it’s recommended that safety goggles are placed every 1-3 years or sooner if they are scratched. While this may seem fairly obvious, you’d be surprised by just how many workers are currently using outdated PPE and putting their safety at risk when doing so. 

Maintain a clutter-free environment. Maintaining a clutter-free environment can also come in handy when keeping your workplace as safe as possible, whether you’re managing a construction site or office space. This is because the vast majority of accidents that take place at work are “slip and fall” injuries, often triggered by clutter and tripping hazards. 

In addition to this, the build-up of clutter can also impact employee productivity! 

Final thoughts. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that you keep your workplace safe – even if you aren’t physically there every single day. Fortunately, this isn’t as complicated as it seems to begin with. For example, you can ensure that your workplace is as safe as possible by developing a strong health and safety policy and ensuring it is upheld by your team.

Furthermore, the advice listed above is a great starting point for those looking to take health and safety to the next level, whether you feel as though you are not currently doing enough or trying to respond appropriately to a workplace accident.