Tips and How to Identify Safety Hazards in the Workplace
Health and safety in the workplace is the number one thing that everyone needs to be aware of. Potential safety hazards that can arise in a workplace depend on the work environment, ie. warehouse, office, daycare centre, construction, or a restaurant. Each place has their own unique circumstances that could be a hazard to others around.
WHAT ARE HAZARDS IN A WORKPLACE?
Hazards in a workplace are potential risks of injury. Check out the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation of BC for further information on the threats in a workplace and the responsibilities that employers and employees have.
Hazards can range from chemical to safety to ergonomics, and more. For ease of understanding, we will use information from the US by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
IDENTIFY POTENTIAL HAZARDS
The first step to solving potential issues is recognizing that it exists. Refer to the picture above or the linked PDF for further ideas on what to look out for in your workplace. Take a tour of the workplace and make a list of all the potential hazards you see. Note how likely an injury could be made by the hazard and the severity of said injury. This can help prioritize your next steps.
HIRE A CONSULTANT OR INSPECTOR
Although you and your employees know your workplace the best, bringing in a fresh set of eyes can help too. Hiring a professional who is trained in identifying and mitigating workplace hazards can be a huge help. They can identify hazards and properly train your team on how to spot risks and fix them.
TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES
People are prone to accidents as well, it is not solely the environment. Some people may increase the risk of an injury by not being properly trained, overestimate their abilities, or just by making a mistake. If your workplace requires employees to operate heavy machinery, corrosive chemicals, specialized tools, etc. it is important that they receive extensive training to protect themselves and others. Make sure that a qualified person is training your employees who can answer questions and help if anything goes wrong. Keep your training up to date. Suggest training every 2 to 5 years for people on the job to ensure they are following safety procedures.
FIRST AID TRAINING
Accidents can still occur after identifying risks and training staff. One thing you can do is to ensure your employees know what to do if an accident occurs. Work with the hired consultant to create a procedure for your employees to follow and refer to if an accident happens. Having the plan in place can help educate employees and minimize the risk of injury.
Offer compensation to get employees trained in first aid. The Red Cross Association offers many courses across Metro Vancouver for the basic first aid certification. As well, you can make a point during training new staff to tour the workplace and note all related health and safety information, ie. first aid kits, fire exits, fire extinguishers, automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), and more.
