If you’re running a business in 2020, you should know the dangers of your office being unsafe. Not just to the health of your employees and yourself but your business as a whole. If someone is injured in your office, it could allow them to open a personal injury lawsuit. These have been crippling businesses for years with the high cost of damages. Most simply can not afford to pay and have no choice but to close up shop while they recuperate. Look at this way. If an owner is found accountable for someone breaking their leg on the premises, they could be forced to pay half a million. Half a million in damages for a business that’s just starting out is a death sentence.
The problem is that many business owners aren’t doing more to make their office safer for one reason. It takes too much money and too much effort. Or, so they believe. In actual fact, making sure your office is up to scratch with health and safety regulations isn’t difficult or costly at all. Here are some simple changes you can make.
Invest in Safety Training
By investing in First Aid training, you can create a more positive environment in the workplace. You are showing your employees that you care about their health and well-being. A lot of employers do not consider it from this perspective, but first aid training is actually an effective morale booster, as well as being great for team building. Plus, we cannot ignore just how vital this is. Positive attitudes create positive results, and so it can benefit your business in more ways than you may imagine. To further enhance the safety and security of your work place, it could also help to equip your employees with cpr aed certification.
Regular Checks
You should be getting your business checked out regularly. Small things like appliances with electrical issues could present a major safety risk. Particularly, if they have been left been left unchecked for far too long. An employee could pick up a coffee maker with loose wiring and a leak. That leak could hit the electricity and suddenly you have an employee that’s been electrocuted. Electrocuted by a faulty appliance in your office kitchen. This accident could have been prevented if you had used a test and tag service. With a test and tag service, your office appliances can be checked annually. You can then ensure there is no issue and if there is a problem, it will be clearly marked.
Regular Training Exercises
You should make sure that all your employees know how to respond in an emergency. Ideally, you should be running training exercises every time someone new joins the forms. But at the very least there should be a fire drill twice a year. That way you can make sure the alarm is working and you can ensure everyone leaves safely without any issue. It’s amazing how many accidents are caused in an emergency situation, simply because people do not know the correct procedure to follow.
Employee Training
Remember, it doesn’t need to only be your responsibility to ensure the office is safe. It’s beneficial to get your staff trained for two reasons. First, they’ll know what to do when presented with a hazard and how to handle it. Second, you can argue in court that with the correct training your staff should have not been injured by the hazard. It gives you a strong defence against a legal claim. Though generally speaking, these claims are commonly settled outside the courtroom.
These simple measures could make your office a lot safer for your employees. The best part is that it won’t be a huge cost in your business. In fact, it could end up saving you money by avoiding a nasty lawsuit.
