Working Safely: A Guide

Published
12/04/2018

Everybody should be able to go to work each day feeling happy and confident that they will be safe. Unfortunately, the workplace can be a dangerous place as even an average office job has many dangers which can lead to challenging injuries. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe working environment for their employees, but staff also must know how to work safely to avoid any kind of injury, accident or illness. This will depend on the industry that you work in and your particular role, but here are a few tips that every worker can follow.

1. Use Your Training

First, it is important that you use your training to dictate your working performance each and every day. Much like driving, people will often become lax in the way in the which they work or look for shortcuts, and when you do this, it can easily lead to mistakes and injuries. Following on from this, you should only ever perform tasks that you have been trained for and not let anyone perform your role who has not gone through the proper training.

2. Communicate Concerns

If you have any concerns over safety, then these should always be communicated to your manager or employer. Some people may continue to work as they do not want to slow the operation down or cause difficulties, but this is incredibly dangerous, and you are putting not just yourself at risk by not communicating safety concerns. Additionally, employees should always have open communication with each other so that they can help each other to stay safe at all times.

3. Always Use Safety Equipment

If there is safety equipment that you should be using or wearing to perform your role or a certain task, then you must always do this without question. This safety equipment is there for a reason and could protect you if there was a mistake or malfunction. You should also know what the hazards are in your role and in the working environment around you.

4. Take Regular Breaks

People are not machines which means that they need to take regular breaks. Many injuries occur due to overexertion or a lack of focus which can easily be avoided by taking regular breaks. Discuss this with your employer to determine how frequently and for how long you should be taking breaks so that you feel no guilt about doing so.

5. Know Your Rights

It is also important to be aware of your rights if you are injured. If you suffer an injury that is not your fault, then you are entitled to make a claim with a company like www.the-compensation-experts.co.uk. It is important that you do this because it can provide financial compensation for the injury while also helping to make sure that the same accident or injury will not happen again either to you or another employee.

These are the main ways that you can work safely each day no matter what industry you are in. While it is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe working environment, the employee must also know how to work safely and to make sure that they do so each day.