Keeping Your Employees Safe and Healthy: A Guide for Business Owners

Your workforce is your company’s engine. That’s why employee health and safety are top priorities when organizing your business. Some on-the-job health and safety practices are mandated by law. Others are special perks that go above and beyond in order to give your employees a positive, empowering environment to thrive in. Here’s a look at the on-the-job health and safety practices to begin implementing today.

Take Stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

It’s important to always have appropriate PPE available for employees. Protocols for when to wear PPE, how to wear PPE, and how to properly dispose of PPE should be covered in training. Additionally, it’s necessary to routinely confirm that all required PPE is in stock in appropriate sizes for employees to use at your business.

Establish Hazard Identification Protocols

It’s important to develop an official checklist of any hazards that are present at your operating site. While industrial businesses are required to adhere to strict environmental and site-specific guidelines in daily operations, even companies involved with office operations or retail still need to manage hazards appropriately. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends these steps:

• Conduct regular inspections of your site using a hazard checklist.
• Create a protocol for exposure to hazards at your site.
• Create a protocol for investigating incidents or close calls involving hazards.
• Have a post-emergency procedure for safety that is practiced in drill form by all employees.

Assess the Environment for Workers

Assessing the working environment from both a safety and comfort perspective is important. Yes, employers are responsible for creating a safe, clean, and hazard-free environment for employees. However, there’s also a benefit in going above and beyond to ensure that you’re creating an ergonomic, pleasant working environment. Here’s what to prioritize:

• Ensure that all electrical equipment and outlets are in good working order.
• Have ventilation, heating, and air conditioning systems assessed to ensure comfortable temperatures and safe, clean air. Consider air purifiers and dehumidifiers to optimize the work environment.
• Create appropriate areas for lunch breaks, provide a water fountain, and make sure bathrooms are clean and accessible.
• Provide required breaks from work to help reduce the likelihood of cumulative trauma injuries.
• Establish good ergonomics throughout the workplace to optimize employee wellness and reduce risks for strains or injuries.
• Provide adequate lighting and reduce tripping hazards to prevent slips and falls.
• Create a spill policy to ensure all spills or wet surfaces are clearly marked and zoned off until they are properly cleaned.

Create a Reasonable and Responsible Sick Policy

Employers have the power to stop illness from spreading around the workplace by providing clear and fair sick-day policies. OSHA and CDC guidelines suggest that employees should be instructed to stay home when they have a fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and respiratory symptoms. Employees should also stay home if they have flu-like symptoms like a runny nose, body aches, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. Typically, policies should dictate that employees stay home for 24 hours until a fever ends.