A workplace should always be safe. Whether you work in an office, a warehouse or on a construction site, you should continually feel safe in your place of employment.
It’s your employer’s responsibility to ensure the workplace follows health and safety protocols. If you have an accident in the workplace due to the negligence of your employer, you would be within your rights to sue them (worried about the financial burden during a lawsuit? Find out about lawsuit loans. These can provide financial aid before your settlement comes in).
So, how can you tell if your workplace is safe?
Table of Contents
It’s clean and tidy
A workplace should always be clean and tidy. How can an area be safe if it’s full of clutter? You could easily trip over something or an object could fall on you. A safe workplace will have cables that are properly run and tucked out the way. All emergency exits will be easy to access and bins will be emptied. The bathrooms will regularly be inspected and cleaned, ensuring there are no spillages or unpleasant odors.
Hazards are signposted
Sometimes, a hazard in the workplace isn’t avoidable. Perhaps a floorboard has become loose or a piece of equipment has broken. However, it’s how your employer responds to the hazard that counts. All hazards should be clearly signposted so employees are aware of them. For example, if there is a leak and surfaces could be wet, a wet floor sign should be put in place.
You have received proper training
A safe workplace doesn’t just rely on the area itself. It also relies on the people in the area. Employees can’t behave safely if they don’t know how to use a dangerous piece of equipment. So, a workplace is safe if all employees receive proper training and know how to behave appropriately. If they are left to guess, accidents will easily happen.
Equipment is regularly checked
Accidents can still occur with dangerous equipment even if those using it have been trained. This is because the equipment itself could be faulty. While faults aren’t necessarily anyone’s error, it’s important for employers to regularly test equipment and ensure it is in full working order. Older pieces of equipment could become rusty, causing problems to the mechanism. Regular checks will ensure that no one is in danger and that everything works how it should.
HR are attentive
Safety also means being able to speak to a person in charge if you’re feeling stressed, vulnerable or victimized. A safe workplace relies on the proper behavior from all members of staff, so if you have experienced discrimination or harassment you need to be able to report this to a trusted and trained individual. A safe workplace has an attentive HR team who take all reports seriously and act on them whilst following protocol.
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