Confronting safety issues at the workplace

With the expansion of a variety of Texas businesses, safety issues also grow and need to be addressed by both employers and their employees. Here are several ways business owners and their workers can build a safer work environment.

 

One of the first things a business operator could do to improve workplace safety is to hire people trained in safety issues to take charge of identifying any physical dangers that could result in liability claims. The employer should regularly meet with these individuals to evaluate those risks and find ways to avoid them. For example, a company should provide proper insurance for employees who travel for business purposes, and extra safety precautions can be implemented for those who work with dangerous equipment or chemicals.

 

Business owners might also improve their workplace by taking a close look at possible cultural risks and finding ways to deal with them. For instance, negative interactions among employees or between employees and customers could lead to potentially bigger problems and should be dealt with before they get out of hand. Additionally, a high-stress work environment could cause emotional health issues with some of the workers, or too much familiarity among employees may lead to a breach of confidentiality within the company.

 

Employers are not only responsible in ensuring their working environment is safe for all of their employees; they are also required to implement safety training and provide safety equipment. Additionally, a company must carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees who become injured on the job. In the event an individual is hurt while at work, he or she could talk to lawyer about his or her options.

 

Source: Business 2 Community, “5 Questions Your HR Team Should Ask About Workplace Safety”, Cosette Jarrett, September 2, 2016

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