Having reviewed the value of safety, safety culture, and the importance of having a passion for safety in recent blogs, we’d like to focus today on making your workplace safer… and offer specific recommendations to keep your workers safe.

If we look at the trend of injuries in the workplace in the past 45 years, worker injuries and deaths are down dramatically over the past four decades. There were 38 deaths a day on the job in 1970. That number is closer to 12 deaths a day today in the United States of America.

Better training and better safety products (PPE) are two of the biggest reasons for the positive change. Organizations like Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) have shed light on worker safety and paved the way for positive safety improvements in the workplace.

Many organizations have embraced a culture of safety and have improved communications to help workers prepare and improve safety practices. At Arbill, it is our passion to keep workers safe. It is our mission for all of our employees to think safety and put worker’s safety first.

Having worked with thousands of organizations since 1945 to support their safety efforts, here are 10 Workplace Safety Recommendations that will help your workers be safer.

  1. Involve your employees in safety planning.  Empower your workers to “own” safety by involving them in safety planning. The more an employee understands and takes ownership of the safety plan, the more he/she will take action;
  2. Provide clear work instructions.  Make sure that all safety instructions are clear and understood. Review and confirm that your workers know what they are being asked to do;
  3. Focus your safety efforts on the most likely issues.  Yes, plan for major safety concerns, but eliminate the small safety violations that contribute the most frequent injuries;
  4. Create a safe work area.  Prevent injuries and ensure an efficient job and workplace by creating a safe work area eliminate potential safety issues;
  5. Maintain a clean work area.  Remove the clutter and potential safety issues and you will help your workers to be more productive;
  6. Encourage your employees to have a voice in safety. When workers bring safety deficiencies and new ideas to management’s attention, they are contributing to the culture of safety in your workplace;
  7. Focus on how each employee performs his/her job.  Watch for employees who are taking shortcuts that could reduce safety, but also look for employees who perform tasks in an improved manner that could be adopted by the other staff;
  8. Maintain all machinery in good working order.  It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all machinery is in good working order and that a routine maintenance program is in place;
  9. Avoid and remove unnecessary hazards.  Do a routine inspection of your workplace frequently to identify any unnecessary hazards;
  10. Revisit your safety guidelines every year.  Start off each year with an inspection of your workplace and a thorough review of your safety program.

As you plan ahead and educate your workers on workplace safety, consider the top 10 most frequently cited standards by Federal OSHA in fiscal year 2014 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014):

  1. Fall Protection in Construction
  2. Hazard Communication
  3. Scaffolding in Construction
  4. Respiratory Protection
  5. Lockout/Tagout
  6. Powered Industrial Trucks
  7. Electrical Wiring Methods
  8. Ladders in Construction
  9. Machine Guarding
  10. Electrical General Requirements

Training, diligence and proper safety equipment are instrumental elements to reducing workplace accidents and injuries, but when it comes to bringing workers home safe, it is not always enough. Education and PPE combined with commitment take workplace safety to the next level.  Arbill offers a wide range of resources both free and pay for service — from whitepapers and single page flyers that cover a variety of safety topics, to our EH&S training services from the most experienced trainers in the field. Arbill meets all of your safety training needs.

For more information about our safety training services, visit Arbill.com or call us at 800.523.5367. See for yourself how our commitment to worker safety will have a positive impact on not only keeping your workers safe and helping your company be more productive, but also saving you money on costly injuries and downtime.