Running an industrial workplace is no easy job. There are many tasks to oversee every day, as well as so many different health and safety guidelines to comply with. And even though this is discussed so often, workplace safety can never be taken lightly.
Keep reading to find out some of our best safety tips for industrial businesses – no matter which sector yours is in.
Provide personal protective equipment
Employee safety should be number one on your priority list. Having a workforce that complies with all the health and safety rules helps to create a much more efficient, much safer place to be.
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, safety goggles and steel-toed boots, and to mandate that these are used when the situation requires it. Doing so will reduce accidents, boost employees’ morale and improve their sense of wellbeing.
Conduct frequent inspections
Actively carrying out a safety inspection regularly is necessary to make sure your industrial business is within all the safety parameters. Take a walk around your workplace, look for any areas where safety can be improved and make a note of it. You can then brainstorm ways in which flagged areas can be improved.
This should be done alongside your mandatory risk assessment, which should also be carried out at least once per year.
Clean up spills straight away
If a substance within your workplace of any kind begins to leak, you may find yourself with disastrous consequences. This can also pose a serious health and safety risk as there is a big chance of slips, trips and falls for yourself, your staff and any visitors.
To prevent injuries, or finding yourself being served with a lawsuit, it’s best to keep good quality spill kits on hand. The spill kits should be compatible with the type of liquids or chemicals you have on site, as there are different types:
- Oil spill kits (white) – these work on a range of different oil types including hydraulic oil, engine oil and lubricating oil, as well as on fuels and other hydrocarbons.
- Chemical spill kits (yellow) – suited for use on chemical and hazardous substances spills, including oils and fuels.
- Universal spill kits (grey) – can be used on almost all substances from solvents to mild chemicals, to coolants.
- AdBlue spill kits (blue) – specifically designed to confidently deal with AdBlue/ diesel fluid spillages, they contain specialised absorbents not found in the other types.
The overcrowding of shelves or improper labelling of storage containers can easily cause a chemical spill. Making sure that employees clean up their spaces and store all materials in the right places can help to reduce this risk.
Provide effective worker training
Having a team that is effectively trained in health and safety can prepare them for any situation.
From knowing which type of PPE to wear in any situation to understanding the correct hazardous material handling and knowing the right clean-up procedure in an emergency, training your staff members in this field can really improve overall safety. You should also maintain planned drills throughout the year to support and refresh their training.
Create an emergency plan
Putting together and enforcing a structured plan that details all of the vital information needed during an emergency is very important. All employees should know exactly what to do and where to go in the event of a large spill or fire, for example.
If an emergency plan is not created, or not adequately enforced, this will only increase the chaos in the unfortunate event of an emergency.
Factors such as having an evacuation route and knowing where to exit and where to meet after an accident can all help to create a solid plan that protects everyone.
Author Bio: First Mats started life as safety matting specialists, but have since expanded to become a complete industrial and commercial supplies company. The focus of First Mats is to provide safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through quality approved products, backed up by extensive knowledge. www.firstmats.co.uk