According to OSHA, 12 workers are killed on the job each day in the United States. Because of this, many companies are now trying to make their workplaces safer. However, due to the various types of work settings and the many hazards that can be found in even the smallest or simplest place, this task can be much more difficult than expected. Yet while difficult, making a workplace less prone to accidents is not only done to protect employees and others, but also to help a company financially. Since even the slightest of OSHA violations that don’t result in an injury or death can cost an employer $12,600 or more per violation, these costs can add up quickly for a workplace that is not considered to be safe. To keep this from happening in your workplace, here are five simple ways to reduce your company’s OSHA accidents.
Keep Company Vehicles Safe
According to OSHA, driving accidents in the workplace account for more than $60 billion per year in employer costs for medical care and other related expenses. Because of this, it is important to keep all company vehicles, including forklifts and others, in excellent condition. Therefore, before operating any type of vehicle, always conduct a quick safety check to ensure all controls, lights, and other features are working properly.
Invest in Personal Protective Equipment
For many companies, personal protective equipment is a requirement, especially in industrial work settings. More commonly known as PPE, failing to have this available to employees is one of the most common OSHA violations in existence today. Rather than be fined for this, make sure such safety equipment as goggles, face protectors, gloves, hard hats, and ear plugs are available for employees and visitors. Also, in areas where heavy objects could drop and injure a person’s feet, work boots should be worn at all times by individuals in these areas.
Conduct Proper Training Sessions
Even if a company has the best equipment, it will do little good if employees are not trained in its use. In fact, many common OSHA violations are due to employees receiving little or no training in how to be safe while on the job. Therefore, supervisors and management should always train new employees on PPE and other areas of workplace safety. Along with this, training should also be provided to all employees regarding the safe use of equipment. If an accident occurs and OSHA discovers employees were given little or no training, a company could face severe fines and penalties.
Improve Housekeeping Procedures
In many workplaces, slip and fall accidents are very common, and often result in many serious injuries to employees. Therefore, improving housekeeping procedures is a quick and easy way to prevent many types of OSHA accidents. By properly marking aisles, incorporating OSHA compliant programs, eliminating clutter and other items that can cause employees to trip, the workplace can become a safe environment for everyone.
Enforce Regulatory Compliance
In many work environments, one of the biggest problems is failing to properly enforce various aspects of regulatory compliance. When this happens, a variety of serious accidents can happen, resulting in many fines and other penalties for employers. To keep this from happening, OSHA recommends appointing one person to be a company’s point person on regulatory compliance. Whether this involves hiring an experienced safety engineer or simply appointing an employee to enforce workplace regulations involving safety and other related aspects, it then becomes possible to eliminate many hazards that lead to accidents. For example, if a company does not have the required PPE for employees, a safety engineer or other personnel can alert management of the problem, allowing it to be solved before an accident occurs.
Since most accidents are often very preventable, keeping these five tips in mind will greatly reduce or eliminate most OSHA accidents. Whether it is training employees on the proper use of PPE, putting down signs indicating wet floors when a spill occurs, or perhaps conducting regular inspections of forklifts and other company vehicles prior to use, taking the time to do so can pay off in fewer employees being injured and a company paying few if any fines for OSHA violations.
