Commit to Workplace Safety in 2019

Far too many workers are injured on the job in Florida each year. They can suffer serious injuries, including death, which could have been prevented with increased workplace safety. At Earnhart Law, we encourage all employers to make 2019 a year in which they commit to improving the safety of each and every employee. Below, we offer some tips.

Evaluate Your 2018 Safety Record

The best way to identify weak spots in workplace is to check how your employees were injured in 2018. If you have a strong culture of safety already, then you might only have had a few employees injured. Even so, you should commit to trying to improve those areas. It is impossible to be too safety conscious.

If your workplace is riddled with safety violations, by contrast, then identify the most pressing ones. You want to tackle the most dangerous ones first.

Enlist the Services of a Safety Expert

Few small business owners are qualified to identify and address all safety issues. For this, you’ll need professional help.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a consultant program for small business that is completely voluntary. The consultant will visit your workplace and help identify any areas of concern. A great benefit is that you will not be penalized for the safety violations that the consultant finds. Instead, you will have a chance to fix them, thus improving safety for your employees. Even better, the OSHA program is free for small businesses.

Encourage Employees to Raise Concerns

Your employers are an excellent source of information about safety lapses in the workplace. Encourage them to come to you with any concerns they have. To bring some order to the process, you can nominate a safety captain who will act as the go-between, collecting complaints and raising the credible ones with management.

You might also want to encourage people to raise safety concerns anonymously. Some employees might fear reprisals if they complain publicly. To encourage them to participate, create a drop box where employees submit any safety complaints. Remember, it is better to have an employee complain to you first before they head to a government agency to blow the whistle on safety violations.

Improve Training

Properly trained employees are less likely to suffer a workplace injury. Make sure you are offering sufficient safety training and give employees time to complete all safety courses. You can also reward employees who take safety training above and beyond what you require by giving them small gifts or a bonus in their paycheck.

Ring in the New Year Safely

Even in safety-conscious job sites, injuries will continue to occur. If you have been injured at work, you might be able to bring a lawsuit for compensation against the party responsible for your injuries. At Earnhart Law, we represent victims of workplace accidents in Delray Beach, and we are here to help you as well.

For more information about our services, please contact us to schedule a free consultation. We can be reached at 562-265-2220.

Resource:

osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html