Every place of business needs to be safe. They need to protect the staff who work there, as well as the clients, customers or perhaps patients. Some of the safety of a workplace comes from the knowledge and training of the staff there. However, it’s also important to make adjustments to the premises themselves. It should be easy to identify the rules of a particular work area and what to do in an emergency. Equipment needs to be labelled, and exits should be sign-posted. If you have to improve the safety of your business premises, here are some of the changes you should make.
Displaying Clear Signs and Markers
You should put up posters in critical areas as warnings and information. You need to display the OSHA workplace poster somewhere your staff can see it. You might also put up signs and posters in the main places around the premises. For example, you could have signs warning about hot water in the bathrooms. Some signs are essential, such as “wet floor” caution signs when cleaning is in progress. You need to have clear signs pointing toward fire exits too. You might have maps guiding people to assembly points like you would see in a hotel room. If you have guests or customers coming to your premises, remember that they won’t have received the training your staff has.
Marking Different Areas
OSHA guidelines are clear about marking various areas of work or passageways. You should use tape or paint to mark off areas with varying purposes. However, there are no requirements for which colors you use. If you’re unsure, you can find a recommendation for a color coding system you can use. For example, when you buy industrial aisle marking floor tapes, you can use yellow for aisleways and traffic lanes. Yellow and black are used to mark areas that present a health risk, and so on. Marking out your premises in this way makes it easier for people to know what risks they need to consider.
Keeping Things Clean and Tidy
A messy workplace can present lots of hazards, from tripping to objects falling from heights. It can also be a fire hazard, among other things. Keeping everything clean and tidy should be a top priority. It’s up to all staff members to help maintain things. Of course, you might have a cleaner or team of cleaners. But it’s also the responsibility of everyone else to pick up after themselves. For example, they should throw packaging away instead of dropping it on the floor.
Provide the Necessary Tools
To keep the workplace safe, you need to ensure that everyone has the tools and equipment they need to do so. These things could include wet floor signs that they can put out if someone spills something. Or it could be hand-washing stations so that people can minimize bacteria in a laboratory or healthcare setting. Think about what your staff and customers need to do their bit.
You need to make some changes to your business premises if you want to make it a safer workplace. Make sure you comply with regulations and follow guidelines for the best results.
