As a business owner, you have a responsibility to keep your staff safe in the workplace. Offices can have more hazards than you might think, from falling stored items and trip hazards, to improperly handled fire practices. Here are the top ways to keep your office and your employees safe.
- Use a crisis response app. If your office is located in an area where earthquakes, forest fires or other disasters are likely, you can use an app like this to keep track of where everyone is you need to evacuate your building. You can be sure everyone got it and track down anyone who is missing, so you can keep everybody safe.
- Have a proper evacuation plan. The best way to keep people safe is to be able to get them out of the building safely. Create a proper evacuation plan, and make sure you include any members of staff who aren’t able-bodied and may need help getting out. Hold regular practice runs so everyone knows how to get out and what they are expected to do. A clear plan is a good way to maintain safety in an emergency.
- Store things safely. Bad storage can cause injuries very easily, such as by items falling onto people or creating a trip hazard. Make sure everything is properly stored and not left around blocking walkways or doorways. Heavy items should be kept low down so people aren’t hurt by them falling or when trying to lift them down.
- Organize cables. Cables allowed to run everywhere are another serious trip hazard. If people don’t see them, they might get their feet caught and fall, causing a nasty injury. Trailing cables can also be a fire hazard if they get hot and are allowed to sit against flammables like paper. Keep cables tidy and out of the way.
- Use safety signs. One of the most common accidents is slips and falls caused by wet floors. If the floor has been cleaned or is wet after bad weather, make sure you put out hazard signs so people know to watch their footing. You can also use signage to clearly mark escape routes in the event of an evacuation.
- Clean the office regularly. Offices are full of germs, as there are so many people in them. The average keyboard is one of the dirtiest places there is, and all those gathering germs can make people ill. Make sure the office is cleaned properly and encourage staff to take some responsibility for their own desk too. Keep antibacterial sprays or wipes in with the office supplies so people can wipe down their phones, mice, and keyboards, and fight the spread of germs.
Office safety should be taken seriously by all kinds of businesses. If staff are safe at work, you won’t have as many people needing to take time off due to sickness or injury. Having people in all the time means work is more productive and you can increase office productivity.
