Having a Safe Workplace is Smart Business
Business owners have the absolute responsibility for the day-to-day health, safety and welfare of employees and worksite visitors. To make your work place safer, know the three common areas of risk: people, environment and company.
People First
Keeping your employees safe and healthy is good for your business. To do that:
- Offer prevention and wellness activities
- Have options in place so injured employees can receive immediate treatment
- Consistently search for and eliminate workplace hazards
- Offer early intervention and rehabilitation programs for drug and alcohol abuse and mental health problems
- Make free flu shots available
A Safe Environment
Heavy equipment, electrical hazards, even keyboards can pose health threats to your employees. For a safer workplace environment:
- Conduct routine maintenance and housekeeping measures
- Frequently check for proper ergonomic conditions
- Check all equipment for unsafe wear and tear
- Educate workers on identifying hazards and risks
- Make sure employees wear necessary protective equipment
- Create and rehearse a worksite disaster plan
- Control and eliminate toxic chemical use where you can
- Make your workplace smoke-free
From the Top
Safety starts with a company’s leadership. To establish and communicate your vision, mission, policies and trust:
- Keep confidential medical information protected
- Offer educational programs to improve health and safety
- Thoroughly analyze accidents for prevention
- Have a zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence
- Offer access to cost effective health care benefit programs
- Begin an employee assistance program
If you have any employees, most states require you to have an active workers compensation policy to insure coverage for those employees against a workplace injury. In most cases, the owners of a sole-proprietorship or a partner in a partnership are not considered employees and have the option whether to cover themselves or not.
For more information about workplace safety and disaster preparedness, visit these sites:
Consumer Product Safety Commission - www.cpsc.gov
Occupational Safety & Health Administration - www.osha.gov
Contact Bryan Insurance today at either our Moundsville office on 304.845.0121, or our Wheeling office on 304.233.5907 and let an experienced insurance professional discuss your insurance options with you.
Reproduced with permission from Erie Insurance Group