6 Preventative Ways to Avoid Workplace Accidents and Injuries

Back at work after a summer break you probably think you have too much to catch up on to think about safety. However workplace injuries don't take holidays. They are more likely to happen when you are focused on other things and they can happen in any kind of working environment and affect any worker.

While some injuries wouldn’t require urgent attention, there are also injuries that can be grave and even life-threatening. This is exactly why all businesses are required to comply with Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) to reduce the occurrence of workplace injuries.

So, what should be done to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace? This article outlines 6 preventative measures to keep your workplace safe for everyone:

1. Spread Health & Safety Awareness in the Workplace
   Introduce workers to the Health and Safety At Work Act (HSWA) so they are aware of the health and safety rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors, and employers. If their work pose safety hazards, make sure they go through a specific workplace health and safety training.
2. Provide Protective Gear
   Anyone working in or passing through areas that hazards should wear protective gear. Make sure all protective gear are of great quality and designed for the specific duty or hazard. They must also fit well and feel comfortable and they should meet the current standards from the HSWA Guidance.
3. Inspect the Workplace for Safety Hazards
   Inspect all work areas, access routes, and equipment for possible safety hazards and look carefully into the operations to see if there are processes that might result to workers getting injured at work.
4. Be Prepared for Fire Emergencies
   There will always be fire threats in any kind of workplace and the only way to prevent accidents and injuries caused by fire is to be ready. Make sure you have the right equipment such as fire extinguishers, sprinklers, or an automated fire control system.The placement and accessibility of this equipment also plays an important role in case of a fire. They have to be strategically placed in your workplace. Just make sure that your employees know where the equipment is and that they are properly trained on how to react in a fire situation.
5. Get Anti-Slip Mats
   Slips, Trips, and Falls (STFs) are actually among the leading causes of workplace injuries. Severe ones end up requiring expensive treatment and extensive recovery.So take STFs more seriously by securing STF-prone areas with quality safety mats that will prevent people from slipping and falling.
6. Have a Complete First Aid Set up
   First aid can save lives so make sure to choose a provider that offers a managed first aid service.An immediate CPR treatment can help someone survive a heart attack. These skills and knowledge can be acquired by training, but you will also need to get a complete, fully-stocked, and updated First Aid Kit. Or you can rent one to be 100% sure that it is stocked, up to date, and up to legal standards.

It’s impossible to avoid accidents totally but they can be prevented. Keep all these in mind to make sure your workplace is a safe place for your workers.

The content for this article was provided by Alsco Pty Ltd (www.alsco.co.nz ) rental service providers of hospital grade first aid kits, portable defibrillators and anti-slip mats for your workplace.