Workplace accidents do not always occur because of negligence. Sometimes employers have the best intentions of keeping their employees safe on the job but just aren’t aware of the best ways to go about it.
According to an article released in February by Small Business Trends, worksite safety is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to productivity planning on the job. Occupations in the construction trade, manufacturing, and steel work industries are already at an elevated risk for accidents and injuries based on the dangerous nature of their work. With little room for errors, oversight in safety policies can lead to catastrophic work accidents that result in unnecessary and preventable fatalities.
In 2017, more than 5,147 workers were killed on the job. To stay at the forefront of safety in any workplace, employers much educate themselves on all hazards that can pose risks to their employee’s safety in their industry. These are the ‘8 Overlooked Work Site Safety Practices’ that often cause unnecessary occupational injuries and accidents:
Awareness
Accidents are bound to occur when employees are not aware of the hazards they face in their position or how to react to them. It’s essential for all workers to be mindful of their surroundings to help keep them safe. Managers and employers are responsible for adequately training employees upon hire regarding the safety and health risks they can be exposed to on the worksite. Consistent review of old and new safety policies can also be useful in helping employees prevent injuries and accidents.
Stress Management
Stress on all levels can have a significant impact on an employee’s health, safety, and productivity at work. Managers should have a policy and process available for employees to report their work-related stressors to help reduce stress-related safety oversights on the job. Knowing the signs of stress and when to step in is another effective way managers can overcome these types of accidents.
Effective Communication
A worksite cannot be safe if employees and employers are not properly communicating. Workers experiencing communication barriers are more likely to make vital mistakes that can put themselves, their co-workers, and the public at risk. Employers should establish an open and frequent line of communication with their workers daily. Providing communication devices such as cell phones and walkie talkies to be used when managers are not onsite can also help increase communication to keep the job site flowing smoothly.
Physical Fitness
Workers who are suffering from illnesses, diseases, or injuries on the job can cause harm to themselves and others if their abilities are not up to par. Managers should keep a close eye on the physical state of their workers to ensure they are not putting anyone in harm’s way. Providing medical benefits and personal time for employees can help reduce their financial need to work through their health conditions, allowing them appropriate time to recover safely. Monitoring seasonal health habits at work, such as water intake on hot days, can also help reduce the number of physical health problems experienced while on the job.
Mishandling Volatile Materials
Hazardous materials on worksites can cause horrible injuries and illnesses if employees are unaware of how to handle them appropriately. When working with unsafe materials, employees should always wear PPE and know how to interpret the different warning labels on the products to understand what threats the material can pose to them. In the case of an accident, it’s crucial for all worksites to develop a HAZMAT program to teach employees what to do in the case of an emergency.
Minimizing Worksite Distractions
It only takes looking away for a second to cause a serious or even fatal work injury. Distractions are one of the leading causes of occupational injuries, and most of them are entirely preventable. Employees should never use electronic devices (cellphones, tablets, smartwatches, or GPS’s) while actively performing job tasks. Employers must make strict electronic policies to keep everyone on the worksite safe and held accountable for unnecessary distractions.
Innovation
Without modern day technology, accidents in most industries would skyrocket. Employers can help increase safety on their worksites by keeping up with the newest technologies geared towards reducing errors on the job. If all worksites were committed to improving safety with the tools available to them, construction and other trade industries may one day become 100 percent accident-free!
Maintaining Transparency
Covering up occupational accidents and injuries is never a good idea. These types of sneaky behaviors cannot only lead to more accidents but can also cause people to see a firm or contractor as unsafe and untrustworthy. Maintaining transparency with safety organizations, the public, the press, and with employees will reduce the number of similar accidents from occurring in the future and contribute to the growing need for more modern safety technologies to help keep workers safe.
For more information on how to make your worksite safety, visit our team.
Connecticut Personal Injury Attorneys
Workers in Connecticut have the right to work under safe and protected working conditions, even in the most dangerous industries. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job due to unsafe or negligence working conditions, Jacobs & Wallace is here to fight for your rights. Contact us today for a free consultation to review your case and your options for seeking justice.
