For many businesses and employees, safety in the workplace is becoming a concern. It might be about illness – the COVID 19 pandemic is still on everyone’s mind – or injury or outside threats such as crime or shootings. A safe workplace makes everyone feel better about coming to work, and it can reduce a company’s liability and protect its most important asset: its workers.
Since most of us are not workplace safety experts, it’s a good idea to reach out to a professional company that can help put a workplace safety plan into place. The elements of a good plan include:
Earthquake preparedness. If your business is located in a seismologically active place such as California, it’s possible that a major earthquake could strike in the middle of a workday. For this reason, it’s important that businesses make certain employees are properly trained and prepared in the event of an earthquake. Earthquake preparedness checklists are a good idea but may not resonate with workers in the same way on-site training by professional safety experts will.
Keep a well-stocked first aid kit. If you haven’t checked the status of your company’s first aid kids in a while, now is the time to do it. Ensure all kits have bandages, antibacterial ointment, splints, pain and fever medication, eye wash and other items you may need in an emergency. For a large organization, it’s a good idea to keep a defibrillator on hand in case of a cardiac event during working hours. A professional safety organization can help train workers in basic first aid, so they are prepared to render help while awaiting emergency services.
Active shooter drills. While no one likes to think of the possibility of a mass shooting, practicality demands that all employees understand what to do during such an event. The best way to preserve the well-being of employees is to teach them how to protect themselves and those around them should an intruder with a gun enter the premises. Experts recommend a three-pronged approach: run, or – if you can’t run, hide – and finally, if you can neither run nor hide, defend yourself. Customized training can help employees understand how best to exit the work premises in the event of an attack.
Fire safety. A professional workplace safety company can help you ensure you’re up to code with fire safety and that you have all the supplies you need, such as fire extinguishers and fire blankets. Help your employees learn the skills they might need in the event of a fire, and conduct regular fire drills so they can put these skills into practice.
Consult with a professional workplace safety organization. In Southern California, Unishield has been providing businesses with the highest quality emergency preparedness, safety training and compliance solutions for employers. In addition, Unishield offers first aid kits and medical supplies, first aid restocking services, industrial safety equipment, and portable emergency medical equipment such as the lifesaving AED (automatic external defibrillator). Call 800-480-5855 or visit our website for more information.