In the workplace, safety will always be the priority that employers will need to focus on. Whether it’s working in the commercial kitchen, operating heavy-duty equipment for construction, or maintaining moving parts of industrial machinery, different workplaces and businesses can be filled with potential hazards.
But even though safety and ensuring that employees are safe within the business premises should be the top concern for many conglomerates, many upper management groups focus on maximizing sales revenues and optimizing the workforce’s productivity. In most cases, these safety concerns do not become a highlight until an incident has already happened. That said, the key to cultivating a better culture of safety in the workforce is prevention. The last thing that many employers want is facing down a lawsuit over safety incidents that could have been prevented in the first place.
Cultivating a Culture of Safety
Every day, many employees will need to ensure that they are safe with the proper tools and equipment. When you want to cultivate a better company culture that emphasizes safe, you’ll need to empower employees at every level of the organization. Compared to prevention, safety incidents are known for being costly. In some situations, accidents and injuries could tarnish a company’s reputation and even close down a business if not addressed properly.
If you want to ensure that safety is practiced in every aspect of your business and management, much of the workforce must come together to communicate and plan out what needs to be done.
So what can you do to cultivate a culture of safety in the office? Here are some essential factors and steps when cultivating a culture of safety and health.
Setting and Defining Your Goals
Firstly, it’s important to first start by creating a foundation for your culture. Communication and transparency are key to getting the workforce on board with your ideas. By measuring your organizations’ safety protocols, it’s easier to outline and draw up a development plan. Of course, every level of the organization should be on the same page regarding the plan.
Investing in Proper Safety Equipment and Tools
Next, one of the most important ways of mitigating the likelihood of accidents and injuries in the workplace is by having the proper equipment. Although management controls can be set in place to ensure that everyone is aware and that output is maximized, most high-quality tools also have failsafe features designed to instantly stop or call for aid if a safety incident occurs.
Of course, some tools and equipment are dependent on the nature of the industry. Many general contractors will need hard helmets that can cushion impacts from falling debris, while most manufacturing industries will need safer machinery with fewer moving parts.
However, many manufacturing and industrial businesses want to maximize their productivity without having to compromise the safety of their employees. Fortunately, some companies are known for focusing on both versatility, efficiency, and safety. The heat press transfers made by engineers at Instagraph are great for businesses that have to rapidly churn out clothes, work equipment, and sportswear without compromising the safety of the user.
Although it might seem like you will need to spend more than usual, this is a better choice than having to spend thousands to millions of dollars from damages if workplace accidents and injuries occur.
Make It Part of the Mission and Vision
Lastly, safety should be part of the company’s long-term mission and commitment towards its employees. Instilling and reminding employees that safety is a priority will help maintain the mindset that safety gear should always be present in the workplace.
Still, you’ll need to walk the talk and spearhead this culture by being an example. Remember: safety should be more than just a slogan, and regular training and meetings should be utilized for better information dissemination. When employees see that their leaders emphasize the safety of the individuals, this will motivate them to know the company is recognizing the value of their employees. In the long run, this will trickle down to almost everyone in the organization and provide a better image.
Building a system that caters to the health, safety, and needs of employees not only reduces the likelihood of accidents but can also maximize productivity, especially when workers can finally focus on their tasks. Still, it’s important to remember that there’s no one “ultimate” way of cultivating a culture of safety within your organization since this will depend on the nature of your work and your business’s long-term values. Of course, you’ll still be creative and clever with adapting to new changes in the work environment.
