“Nicholas Haywood is a home improvement specialist and DIY enthusiast who has experienced his own share of preventable accidents. He writes on behalf of Vista Window Film, a provider of window tint.”

Safety in the workplace—whether a construction site or a factory—is
paramount. It should be held above the need for a profit or the
“efficiency” that the workers demonstrate. Injuries in the workplace are
often too extreme to let safety lapse. One wrong move can lead to a crushed appendage or a chopped off hand. What follows are law suits, months of recovery, pain, and possibly the inability to ever continue to work in your chosen profession. Here are some tips to increase work place safety.

*Set Work Place Rules and Boundaries*

If your workplace does not already have them, you should set some rules
that will increase safety. If you are the boss this is fairly easy.
Employees that feel that their safety is threatened by the lack of rules
can petition the boss for additional safety rules. If the boss is unwilling
you should point out that increased safety will also benefit the boss.

* Obey Work Place Rules and Boundaries*

Rules can only protect you from permanent injury if they are obeyed.
Employers should assure that rules are followed by all employees. Safety
procedures often involve multiple people to adhere to. My wife suffered a
permanent knee injury when none of her co-workers would help her lift a
patient. The safety procedures demanded that two people are required for
that particular job. An environment that promotes breaking safety rules
will result in multiple injuries that will leave you short staffed.
Employees that work in an unsafe environment due to the status quo should bring the problem to the boss. In the meantime employees should ensure that they follow the rules to the best of their capability. By helping each other you are helping everyone stay healthy.

*Become in the Habit of Keeping Things Orderly *

An orderly work place will lead to increased safety. Work areas with
objects strewn everywhere are hazards. Here are a few suggestions to
increase safety with an orderly work place:

·         Employers should have set areas where large objects can be
placed. Large objects placed in the middle of paths are walking hazards to
workers that are carrying large objects that hinder their site.

·         Electrical equipment should be plugged into nearby objects or
attached to outlets with extension cords. Wires that are pulled taught can
be dangerous to the person using the equipment and the people walking
nearby.

·         Store dangerous equipment in predetermined areas. This will
create an area where employees know that they need to be careful instead of increasing the risk of injury across the whole site.

*Decrease Distractions*

As an employer or an employee you should endeavor to decrease distractions in the work place. Distractions often lead to employees making preventable mistakes that lead to serious personal injury. Here are a few areas of distractions that can be eliminated in the workplace:

Many places play *music.* Music can be harmless. Many establishments play music in the background to provide a better ambience for the people within the area. Music does not always fit well in the workplace. Some employees are unable to concentrate while music is playing. These employees could Bob and Jimmie themselves into cut off fingers while using the handsaw. Before turning on music make sure that all employees will be able to function safely while it is on.

*Fighting and bickering* like music is a distraction for the surrounding
employees that have issues concentrating. Fighting and bickering can also
lead to an unstable atmosphere. The individuals involved in the altercation
could experience lingering rage or tension from the fight. Rage is well
known for making individuals less likely to think and behave logically and
safely. This could lead to an increased likelihood of a major accident.

*Improper Lighting *could be catastrophic to employees. Too much or too
little light can decrease the ability of employees to work safely. Sudden
glares from windows around sun rise or sun set can make it impossible for
employees to use tools safely. It is important to ensure that your
workplace is properly lighted.

·         If your work area experiences too much light you can fix the
problem by decreasing the amount of light let into the room through windows with window film, curtains, or blinds. Alternately too much light can be combated with sunglasses.

·         If not enough light is available, you can plug install more
lights or buy portable construction lights.

There are, of course, a myriad of other safety suggestions to increase safety in the workplace; the ones I have suggested are only a few. As an employer or an employee it is your responsibility to contribute as much as possible to the overall safety of the work place. By working together, we can decrease the likelihood of workplace accidents.