Regardless of the type of business a company conducts, the firm along with its staff is always susceptible to health and safety hazards. Those can range from fire and injuries from a fall to eye-health problems caused by computer screens all the way to cyber security breaches and damages to the company assets. For that reason, all firms, including small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) need to inform themselves about the safety culture in the business world. In this article, you will discover some solutions to help you keep your health and safety compliant.
Follow the Health and Safety Regulations
The first step to running an SMB that is health and safety compliant is for the business to be up-to-date with the newest Health and Safety laws in its country. These regulations usually involve risk assessment, adequate training and equipment, and similar measures of precaution. Adhering to Health and Safety is mandatory, and non-compliance may result in receiving a hefty fine or even lead to criminal charges. However, this shouldn’t be your only motivator to put health and safety measures in place but rather building an environment that is safe and pleasant for everyone. Before implementing any measures, you need to make an assessment and create a list of necessary measures. Once that step is done, if your company comprises more than five employees, you need to write a Health and Safety Policy and hand it out to the staff. This policy should explain what health and safety regulations will be implemented.
Recognize all potential health and safety hazards
Making sure that the company abides by Health and Safety Regulations is the essential first step but the journey to nurturing the safety culture shouldn’t end there. To run a reputable business, the key is to do it ethically. Therefore, business owners should, to the best of their ability, try to take care of anything that can compromise somebody’s health and safety while on duty. That pertains to a variety of matters from providing high-quality work equipment to purchasing special monitors that minimize eye strain and more comfortable chairs to prevent back problems. It’s also essential to ensure that the temperature in the workspace is always within the optimal range. If your budget allows it, investing in a smart thermostat can be an extremely practical solution, as this handy gadget can set the right temperature automatically.
Obtain the necessary insurance
In order to save your company from going bankrupt due to unpredictable damage to the premises or your workers sustaining an injury, it’s highly recommended that you invest in a suitable business insurance policy. In most cases, arranging Employers’ Liability Insurance is compulsory. This type of insurance covers issues like lawsuits and employees’ injuries. However, it may not include everything that you need, so you may need to get additional insurance. For example, if you want to ensure the company premises and equipment, then you’ll need Business Property Insurance. Reliable insurance companies offer a variety of business protection plans, allowing you to choose those that cater to your needs and match the type of business you run.
Protect your business from cyber threats
While computer technology keeps advancing and software is continually becoming more sophisticated, cybercriminals are upping their game as well. This means that the more reliant you are on computer tech, the more susceptible you are to security breaches. Hackers may be able to access personal data, and subsequently compromise the safety of anyone involved with the company, including the staff and the clients. Therefore, you should have proper cybersecurity measures in place, which involve appropriate anti-virus software and cybersecurity staff.
Be mindful of your employees’ mental health
While physical health and safety in the workplace are most often the main focus, mental health is frequently disregarded in the discourse about health and safety. According to research conducted by Mental Health America, the majority of employees are extremely stressed due to being under extreme pressure. In many cases, workers are expected to adhere to unreasonably tight deadlines, which oftentimes leads to burnout and affects their performance. What business owners can do is create a welcoming and comfortable work environment, where speaking about mental health is not taboo. Giving the workers freedom to discuss their mental state if they so desire, without any judgment, can make work less stressful for them. Although very close deadlines are sometimes unavoidable, whenever possible, the workers should be given a reasonable amount of time for their tasks.
A final note on the workplace safety
Safety in the workplace should be a business owner’s top priority. Employees must never be forced to work under conditions that are evidently going to harm them. Therefore, it’s crucial to put all safety measures in place, test them, and update them whenever necessary. Ultimately, making observations and listening to employees’ remarks about the working conditions can help you create a safe environment.
