Your business premises are where you and your employees have to spend your workdays. Since you need to spend so much of your time there, it’s essential that it’s a safe place for all of you to be. Every workplace has risks, no matter if it’s an office or a factory. And it’s a business owner’s responsibility to ensure that those risks are managed. There are many things that companies can and need to do to make sure they follow safety and health regulations. Here are some of the basics that you need to address to make your premises a safe place to work in.
Risk Assessment
If you want to address any risks, you first need to identify them. Carrying out a risk assessment will help you find any potential dangers in the environment of your business. You should survey your workplace and note down anything that could cause accidents or injuries. Once you have a list of risks, you need to decide how they should be controlled and avoided. There could be many different factors that you need to consider. They range from anything that could cause trips and falls to hazardous materials or machinery.
Workplace Control
You’ll need to begin by making adjustments in the workplace to address the risks you’ve identified. Some issues will need to be considered, no matter what sort of environment it is. For example, every business will need to consider the risk of fire. Although some will have different factors that could result in one to think about. Controlling risks might involve installing alarm and detection systems, putting up signs and putting a cleaning schedule in place.
Equipment and Machinery Maintenance
Many working environments have equipment and machinery that’s used every day. Whether it’s a computer in an office or a piece of manufacturing machinery in a factory, it’s essential to keep them well-maintained. Neglecting to could lead to malfunctions that might cause injury to one of your employees. For example, oil rings are important components of manufacturing machinery. They prevent leakages of different liquids, so ensuring they are in good condition is necessary to prevent spills. If you work in an office, performing electrical checks on computers, printers, and other equipment is a good idea.
Health and Safety Training
As well as using the right equipment and warning systems, your staff need to be well-trained. They should know the risks that they can face in the workplace and how to manage them to keep themselves and their colleagues safe. Ongoing training is essential to ensure this, from lessons in how to keep the environment clean and tidy to how to handle machinery. Ideally, you also should have a member of staff who is in charge of the safety and health of everyone on the premises. You need to have someone who has responsibility for making sure your staff follow the rules set in place for them.
It’s your job as a business owner to ensure the safety of your staff. You should continue to address the risks as your enterprise develops to make sure you’re up to scratch.
