Partner Article

Don’t pay the price in the workplace

It is imperative in the modern workplace and the compensation culture of the 21st century that health and safety procedures are strictly adhered to by employer and employee alike. Johnson Law assess how to ensure you do.

How to avoid industrial accidents

Working in an industrial environment is dangerous. Powerful machinery, extreme temperatures, chemicals and other hazards all add an above average amount of risk into the typical working day.

As a consequence safety procedures need to be rigorously considered and meticulously followed. An individual’s actions can endanger several – or all – of their colleagues. So here are some vital safety skills that will help keep your team safe.

Wear the right clothing

Dressing for the job goes without saying, but many industrial workers fail to take it seriously and pay the price. Safety equipment is obvious, like hard boots and helmets, goggles and masks where there are toxic chemicals, or ear-guards where there are high levels of noise.

All kit should be kept clean and in good working order, and fit the person using it. Just as important is the clothing you wear. Sleeves can snag on machinery, or they can prevent you from burning. So think safety every time you dress.

Create good procedures – and follow them

There are no excuses. The procedures you use for Health and Safety should be carefully thought through, adhere to the law and – most importantly – be followed to the letter by everyone in the working area. The more managers tolerate cornercutting, the more likely an accident is and the more likely those corners will be cut deeper.

It’s not easy, especially when they need to convince experienced workers to do things in a new way that might be less convenient, but the value of Health and Safety procedures need to be appreciated if they are to save lives.

Listen to your manager, and your team

A good chain of command helps to limit dangers caused by indecision or lack of experience. In the work environment where the dangers are greatest a manager’s instructions should be followed precisely, without debate. But for managers it is just as important to give your team a chance to feedback away from the work floor.

Use Analysing Software

More and more technology is being used to predict and monitor accidents in industrial settings, and investing in the right piece of kit could save lives.

Tracking trends will show dangers before they happen, and an advance warning that can prevent a problem is better than any form of care afterwards. Of course, if the worst does happen a good solicitor like Johnson Law should be contacted to assist in getting the victim the support they need to get back to work.

Don’t overlook the small stuff

With so many big hazards around, it’s easy to forget that most workplace accidents are trips and slips. So be just as vigilant about the smaller safety concerns as the big ones.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Johnson Law .