Checklist Of Initiatives For Raising Staff Awareness Of Workplace Safety
If you want an informed safety culture in your workplace it all starts and finishes with your management support. Be pro-active and implement some of these initiatives in your workplace.
- Arrange for your workplace health and safety officer, or an external specialist to give staff a practical demonstration on safer handling methods or operational procedures
- Encourage social discussion among staff about workplace safety by conducting a safety trivia quiz at a work social function.
- Find out from your respected state OHS authority what the typical risks and accidents are within your industry. Look at these in light of lessening the risk in your workplace.
- Implement a safety suggestion box and encourage employees to articulate their ideas/concerns through it.
- Incorporate safety subjects as a regular agenda item at staff meetings.
- Introduce a ‘Safe Employee of the Month' award.
- Invite an industry specialist to talk about the consequences of incorrect workplace practices in areas like manual handling/body stressing, stress and fatigue, slips, trips and falls, road safety, drugs and alcohol, and noise exposure.
- Organise for your company's OHS representative to go around the business and introduce him/herself to all staff.
- Organise a spring clean of storerooms, offices, and warehouses of boxes and broken or unwanted equipment.
- Promote the activities of your workplace safety committee and your OHS representative(s) throughout the organisation.
- Provide ergonomic assessments for your workers.
- Set up a health and safety notice board in a common staff area and update it regularly.
- Start a safety column in your organisation's newsletter or on you website.
Author Credits
Reprinted with permission of NSW Business Chamber. For more information about this article or NSW Business Chamber, its products, services and membership, please call 13 26 96 or visit the web site: www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au