There’s a lot to think about when starting a small business, it’s incredibly exciting when ideas start to come to fruition. Office infrastructures need to be put in place and employees will need to be hired to carry out daily tasks and keep the business moving forward.
One area that should never be overlooked when starting a new business is the health and safety areas you are providing for your staff to create a safe and secure environment for them to work in. Don’t forget these four points along the way.
- Install a fire alarm system
Probably the most important item to add to your office before opening its doors to employees is a fire alarm system, this is definitely not something you should skimp on. Invest in the best equipment your budget can buy to keep you and your employees safe.
Fire alarm systems should be installed by a professional company and tested on a regular basis to ensure they are constantly in working order. Make sure employees know what to do when the alarm goes off and practice this procedure with everyone in the office.
- Provide a first aid course
One worry that employers have about health and safety training and awareness is that employees won’t engage fully. However, ‘health and safety has, at least to a large extent, solved this problem’, says David Rowland, the head of marketing Engage EHS. This is because the process is much more social and, if you must, you can measure your employees’ engagement in the process.
You never know when a medical emergency might occur so provide a first aid course for all employees to attend. Basic knowledge in this area can help save lives and assist individuals in need until paramedics arrive.
Find a qualified company that can provide some on-site first aid training and take you through the basic first aid actions that could be required in the workplace. Ask whether any employees would like to further their training and see if you can support this financially through the company, you can never be too prepared for a medical emergency.
- Ensure workers know how to lift heavy items
Regardless of whether your employees work in a distribution center or not, there will always be a time when something heavy needs to be carried. An action that may seem trivial to some, but if it’s not done correctly it can cause serious damage to an employee’s back and result in them being off sick for days or even weeks.
As the employer, you should cover all bases of health and safety training and ensure all staff members have been briefed on how to do this properly. Purchase some office training resources and videos online for staff members to view before they accept any deliveries, this will avoid putting anyone at risk.
- Provide a safe office environment
Keep computer cables hidden and electricity points out of reach where possible to avoid any unnecessary accidents happening. It’s wise to introduce an incident report book to record any mishaps in the office and keep on top of any maintenance that needs to be done to avoid the same scenario happening again. Ask staff to alert you about any safety concerns within the office and praise them for bringing anything to your attention. Providing them with the training such as the one offered by best security guard training Toronto will help create a safe office environment.
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