In business, unplanned expenses are something that every business owner worries about. A workplace injury can become one of the reasons for such negative variance. Specifically in safety sensitive industries like construction, a safety violation resulting to serious injury or even death could cost the business its license to operate. Other minor workplace related injuries disrupt the operations of the unit concerned thereby affecting its KPIs.

It is Management’s responsibility to ensure a safe and injury-free workplace for all employees. Compliance to local, state, and federal laws require such. This also makes employees comfortable in the performance of their roles.

Here is a list of 5 safety tips to keep your workplace injury-free.

A dirty or unclean work area is a health and safety risk for all its inhabitants, management and staff alike. Make sure to maintain a reliable cleaning company to perform periodic cleaning of your workplace. Also, make sure your company has sufficient cleanliness related personnel guidelines and that violations to these company guidelines are correspondingly acted upon with necessary penalties or corrective measures.

Ergonomics being a scientific process of arranging your workplace, you should have faith on it and be consistent on its application.

It is said that the incidence of injuries in well lighted environments are less compared to those with poor lighting. And you wouldn’t want your management team and the rest of the staff to acquire eye related problems or worse go blind, right?

Ignorance of the safety guidelines is a risk which could impact anyone or everyone in the workplace. You must invest on this and make sure training is backed by a comprehensive set of personnel guidelines for strict implementation.

Often, what spells the difference between a safety violation or injury is the lack of strict implementation and not the absence of guidelines to implement.  Make management responsible for their personnel by cost or profit center, thereby multiplying your implementation monitors and heightening the sense of responsibility. Make sure sufficient documentation is in place and have someone take long term responsibility for its maintenance and safekeeping.  You may opt to certify your company with OSHA/HSA/HSE as applicable. These organizations were set-up with the objective of protecting people in the workplace or job sites. In some industries the OSHA/HAS/HSE are required rather than optional.

There is a valid reason behind safety audits, that is why you should also implement this in your company. And in most states and countries, such is a requirement by law. It is important that your auditors are certified and trained to ensure this process will work. Remember always that the key to safety is the continual inspection and maintenance.

By now you do not only know that you are responsible for everyone’s safety in your company, but you also know how to ensure this happens consistently without miss.  Positive reinforcement as a form of behavioral training can work in this exercise. Some companies provide extra bonuses for cost or profit centers with zero safety violations. You might want to ponder on this and include in your management and/or safety budget next year.