June marked National Safety Month, something that no doubt puts workplace injury in the forefront of many people’s minds. The U.S. Department of Labor statistics indicates that 13 people are killed in workplace accidents each day, while approximately four million Americans, including many Colorado workers, suffer significant injuries each year that may leave them with challenging circumstances for the rest of their lives. What’s perhaps the most tragic thing about workplace injury is that in nearly every case, the accident precipitating the injury could have been avoided.
One risk management company recommends that employers consider the following areas in which safety can be improved. First, it is important to implement a defined set of safety rules which everyone in the company must follow. One such safety rule could be that employees who see potential hazards that could cause workplace injury must immediately report them. Both regular workers and management team members should be held accountable for following the safety policy put into place.
Second, the risk management company recommends that employers continue analyzing and improving the safety policies they adopt. Avoiding workplace injury is a never-ending process, especially in ever-changing work environments.
The third recommendation is training, which is a key step for lowering the risk of workplace accidents. Make sure to adequately train employees on the safety policies and procedures which may need to happen on an ongoing basis.
According to this risk management company, a fourth step in decreasing workplace injury is to utilize metrics that measure how safe and healthy the work environment is. Results should be shared with workers so they can see what steps the company has taken to improve worker safety, and so they can help the company achieve success. And speaking of which, the final recommendation is for companies to celebrate success since people respond well to having their achievements recognized. Hopefully, Colorado companies will take this advice to heart and make their workplaces safer for their hard-working employees.
Source: Green Bay Press Gazette, “Take time to review safety in workplace,” Carol Jamrosz, June 29, 2012