Being safe while working is a must! It should be on the top of the employer’s priority list! There are rules and legislation that oblige an employer to have all the necessary equipment and supplies on-site.
A lot of workplace injuries happen every single day. Many of them end up with the worst possible scenario.
In order to prevent this, companies and employers do their best to provide their workers with the safest possible working conditions.
Great progress has been made in recent years to reduce the rate of workplace injuries, but the threat is impossible to be removed completely. There are, of course, some industries that are more affected by this problem, and those that are less. However, this issue has to be taken very seriously and responsibly by every employer no matter the industry.
New Zealand’s workplace injuries rate is cause for concern http://t.co/0deDtBDw #ohs #safety
— safetowork (@safetowork) September 20, 2012
Reducing Workplace Injuries
So, what would be the best way to solve this problem? What would be the best way to provide protection for each of your employees? Actually, the solution lies in two factors: Education and Preparation!
Education
It all comes down to knowledge in the end. That is why your employees need to be educated and well-trained. All of your staff members have to know how to deal with all the accidents and emergencies which could happen in their workplace.
It may seem like just a theory, but having staff who are trained properly to react in dangerous situations can save many lives.
Since it is the 21st century, after all, you have to be very cautious about one thing – this issue needs constant improvement.
The technology is developing all the time. This means that annual re-training sessions for more experienced workers are as important as the initial first aid courses for new staff members.
Preparation
If you have well-trained staff, now the only thing that is left is an investment into some health products and equipment that you need for your workplace. Even better results you would get with specially Office-designed equipment.
Here is the list of the three most important products to have:
1. First Aid Kits. The most important basic object you have to have in your facilities when it comes to safety and health. No matter what your object is – a company, a shop, a garage or a vehicle.
In this kit, you have everything you need when you first buy it. However, with every injury, you use certain products so it needs to be restocked regularly. Put in charge of restocking a very responsible person in your team. It is necessary that the person in charge takes this task very seriously.
However, if you don’t want to bother yourself with delegating this task to staff or team member, you can always rent a kit all together with stock control and kit monitoring from a professional first aid rental service.
2. Eyewash Station. Only recently has the eyewash station become a necessity for workers. It is not designed just for getting a loose eyelash or speck of dust out.
There are some workplaces which possess certain debris, liquids or chemicals that can seriously damage the eyes. Especially if the place of work is a garage, a lab or a workshop. Here, the eyewash station can be a life saviour.
It provides a safe way to wash out any dangerous and hazardous substances which if left in the eye long enough might cause serious and sometimes irreparable damage.
3. External Defibrillators. Surprisingly, defibrillators have become as important as first aid kits when it comes to safety and health at the workplace.
Many people suffer from cardiac problems, regardless the age and occupation. There are more and more strokes and heart attacks as the years pass by. The first thing to do is to recognise the symptoms.
One of the things that can literally save a life when a need for on-site treatment happens is a modern external defibrillator. What is really great is it is user-friendly, even for a person that uses it for the first time.
Things Are Getting Better
People become more and more aware of the importance of living a healthy life which leads to a reduction in workplace injuries. General education and safety measures have definitely played a big part in this improvement.
People’s awareness is important but also having access to life-saving equipment such as external defibrillators, eyewash stations and first aid kits which are properly managed and regularly stocked. The combination of these two is definitely a winning one.
Safety should always come first, so don’t wait a minute longer, create a safer working environment and contact Alsco for detailed information. Our more than friendly representatives are always on call to help.
Photo courtesy from Wikimedia Images by Fæ
