Tips on Keeping Your Office Safe for Workers

Sure, you think about safety training when you’re talking about a complicated production floor with a variety of dangerous machines. But do you give the same attention to the office? Or do you make jokes about paper cuts and screen glare and just move on?

You shouldn’t. An office environment offers significant hazards as well. From falls to ergonomic failures, your employees face injury risks as well.

However, you can take steps to limit the dangers. Here are a few tips to keep your office safe for workers:

Invest in Safety Training

There are plenty of safety discussions to have to surround a typical office environment. Post-pandemic, you’ll have to worry about policies concerning COVID and any other disease that could become a threat in the future. Meanwhile, you have more traditional worries, from fire safety to repetitive stress injuries.

Take all these seriously. Create a training protocol for incoming employees and update the information as necessary.

Maintain a Clean Environment

Slips and falls represent a major concern in any workspace. These dangers exist in an office setting as well. Chairs, cords, and any number of common supplies can become a tripping hazard.

Minimize this risk by insisting on a clean environment. Design your office so that walkways are clear and easy to use. Encourage your workers to keep their work areas tidy. At the same time, ensure that public sections of the office stay at the highest levels of cleanliness.

Encourage Communication

Spark a robust conversation with your employees about safety. Ask for their ideas and suggestions. At the same time, keep them informed about your efforts in this area.

This ongoing discussion will help you reach the highest level of safety compliance. And the benefits go beyond that. You’ll also create a climate of constant improvement, where new ideas can push your risk-management processes to new heights over time.

Promote a Safety Culture

Having a safety discussion with your workers increases the chances that they will follow the procedures you set out. That’s just one step in the process, though. The conversation itself also has value.

Foster an overall safety culture within your office. Your employees will feel better about their place in the company. In addition, they will appreciate your commitment to their health and wellbeing. This will contribute to a strong team spirit over time.

Here are a few steps you can take to promote a safety culture:

• Post Safety Notices: Make your commitment to safety obvious. Post signage and other notices to communicate with your workers.
• Give Regular Reminders: Don’t stop at your initial safety training. Make this type of education an ongoing process.
• Provide Rewards for Safety Milestones: Let your employees know that you appreciate their efforts on the safety front. Create appropriate safety milestones and reward your workers for hitting them.
• Make Safety Resources Available: Help your employees take ownership of their own safety. Create online resources that they can use to learn your procedures and to research topics in more depth.

Build a Safety-Minded Team

Creating a dynamic safety culture also requires the right team members. Even in an office setting, you need employees who understand the long-term benefits that come with a commitment to safety.

Working with a top recruiter, like SmartTalent, lets you find those workers. You’ll get the best talent available. And you’ll locate candidates who can maximize your safety efforts.

Contact SmartTalent today to get started.