One of the most important responsibilities of any business owner is to the health and safety of their team. However, the range of potential risks to your team is wide and vast, so it’s important to know where you put your priorities. For that reason, we’re going to look at some of the most common causes of workplace accidents and injuries, and what you can do about them.
Machinery misuse
Any workplace that uses heavy machinery or equipment should always treat them with the respect and caution that they deserve. Misuse due to a lack of training, lack of the proper PPE, and a failure to give machine operators the space that they need can lead to a host of accidents. Routine maintenance is vital, as well, as even defects can prove dangerous. Make sure that you’re fully aware of the risks of every machine that you implement, and what steps you should take to manage them.
Slips, trips, and falls
While machinery misuse can lead to some of the most serious injuries, slips, trips and falls are by far the most common injury across all workplaces. Uneven surfaces, wet floors, cluttered walkways, and improper footwear can lead to all kinds of incidents, causing injuries such as sprains, fractures, and head trauma. Keep floors clean and dry, provide non-slip flooring, and make sure that you use installations like commercial railings to prevent falls from height. Heights can make falls even more dangerous, increasing the severity of injuries significantly.
Lifting and handling objects
Anyone who is responsible for lifting heavy objects needs to be given the appropriate training to lift them with the right form or they could be at a severe risk of a musculoskeletal injury. You can provide training for lifting objects, but you should also ensure the presence of equipment such as trolleys and harnesses to better manage weights without putting all of the strain directly on the employee, when possible.
Driving accidents
Whether you operate a fleet of cars, or just a few forklifts and driveable machines in the warehouse, you have to ensure that you are steadfast in providing thorough, routine training on drive safety. Keeping your drivers safe means monitoring their driving, providing routine tests, and using technology to track their driving habits.
Fire, electrical, and chemical hazards
Environmental risks in the workplace, such as the risk of fires, electrical faults, or hazards due to chemicals that are used or stored in the workplace, need to be managed carefully. A routine assessment of these individual risks can highlight the steps that you can take to prevent emergencies from happening but, just as importantly, they can also help equip you with the knowledge and processes to deal with emergencies more effectively.
The above common causes are just the start of where you should look at improving your safety measures. Risk assessments can help you get a much deeper idea of the potential danger facing your team, as well as what you can do about it.
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