So, what can you do as an employer to make sure your workers are safe? Here are a few ideas:

Have a Clean Workspace Policy:

Having tools, cords, boxes and other things out of place in an office or shop means there are many more chances that someone can kick something and hurt their foot, trip over, or have something fall on them leading to a serious injury. A good rule to implement is that every item of equipment should have a storage place that is easy and safe to access. Ensure the Clean Workspace Policy states that each item must be returned to its storage place when not in use.

While this may sound like you’re playing mum and telling your employees to ‘pick up their room’, you are actually training them to be responsible for their safety and that of others. A clean workplace is often a safer workplace.

Appropriate Safety Equipment:

Every career field has safety equipment that should be available and in use to keep your employees safer and healthier on the job.

In an office it may be ergonomically correct chairs and table items for those who are at a desk all day.

In a shop it could be protective face, eye, ear or even body gear to lessen the chance of serious injury on the job.

Ensure each worker has access to the proper equipment, and completes the mandatory training on how to use it correctly. You would be amazed at how many employees don’t know quite how to use the safety gear they have been issued.

Additionally, make it a policy that all workers use the gear provided. It’s also amazing the amount of workers who’ve had the training and have the equipment, but because of an “She’ll be right, mate” attitude fail to make use of it. During training, stress that it is company policy to use the safety equipment provided.

Proper Job Training:

Do your employees really know what they are supposed to be doing? Sure, they are nodding as you give instructions, but it is possible that they just don’t want to stand out as the one who doesn’t understand what is going on?

Make sure your instructions are clear. As different people learn in different ways it would be wise to supply workers with a variety of training methods.

Basically the human absorbs and processes information:

• visually (watching)
• auditorally (hearing)
• kinesthetically (doing)
• olfactorally (smelling)
• gustatorily (tasting)
• auditory digitally (talking to themselves or thinking)

Please excuse the geek speak! Obviously the ‘smelling’ or ‘tasting’ parts aren’t always a part of the industry you’re in… unless of course you’re in perhaps the floral or hospitality industries?

Have you ever had a trainee that you ‘told’ how to do the job – but they still didn’t get it? Basically, your instructions went in one ear and out the other? Or have you ever used equipment that you didn’t quite ‘get’ until you actually held the equipment and did a ‘dummy run’ before turning it on? It’s because the training you were provided with didn’t match the way your brain likes to take in information.

When supplying training cover the different styles of learning so you’re sure your worker has absorbed what you’re attempting to teach them.

• Show them how to do the job and offer them diagrams/charts showing the activity
• Tell them as you’re showing them
• Get them to hold the equipment and get the ‘feel’ of it
• Have them experience the smell of, or the taste of what they have to achieve (if applicable)
• Give them written instructions or ask them to explain the job back to you

If they are working with any sort of equipment, make sure they are completely trained on those pieces of equipment. You should also have regular refresher training sessions to make sure they know how everything works and are following the safe work practices they were originally taught. Many people create their own shortcuts over time, but these are not always the safest methods of working.

Making your workplace a safe one is not an impossible task. It simply takes common sense, an understanding of how to communicate with your workers, and a little action to back it up.

Here’s a look at the types of protections and why you may need them:

• Eye Protection – This is the most common, and often considered the most important piece of protective material in the workplace. Whether there is a threat of projectiles being tossed up from machinery, a threat of chemicals or other liquids splashing up from work being done or even large amounts of dust or air being blown in the face regularly, eyes must be protected. The eyes are very tender and can be easily damaged from a number of sources.
• Face – If there is a lot of dust, debris or other items being kicked up at work, you may want to opt for face protection to keep not only the eyes safe, but also the nose and mouth as a person is breathing. 
• Head – If things may be falling from above, or large pieces of equipment are being used, you may need to turn your workspace into a hardhat area and assure there is appropriate head protection for your workers.
• Foot – One of the biggest complaints about workplace injuries surrounds feet. Be it kicking hard objects or dropping heaving objects on the foot, many of these injuries can be prevented by using appropriate foot protection, such as steel-toed boots.
• Hand – No matter the job, usually hands are required to manipulate tools, machines or the materials being put into machines. In any of these situations, workers should have appropriate hand protection (i.e. gloves) to assure their hands stay in good health.
• Leg – Whether it’s because of the use of heavy equipment or because of the threat of low sitting items in the office, leg protection is a good idea. If there is a threat of chin or knee injuries you should consider this type of protection.
• Arm – In the same respect as the legs may need more protection, if there is a chance of hot or caustic materials splashing or flying on the arms of a worker, appropriate arm protection should be offered to keep them from being injured.
• Back – Is heavy lifting required in your workplace? Then make sure your employees are properly supported against the most common of workplace pains, back injuries. Not only should they be taught to lift properly, but also you should offer back support devices to add a little more safety. (Use of lifting equipment is still always a good alternative)
• Hearing – If it’s loud in the shop, it is actually damaging your hearing. If you work around loud noises every day, you may just think you will get used to it. But the truth is that when you start thinking you have ‘gotten used to it’, you actually will have done permanent hearing damage. A better option is to offer hearing protection (earplugs, earmuffs, etc) to protect the hearing of all in the office.