One of the first things that your company drills into new employees is likely the importance of following all of the established safety protocols. Yet, you may need to ask yourself if your business is doing everything it can to keep them safe. Making sure that your building is properly maintained and that your team has everything they need to do their job correctly helps your business to enjoy these important benefits for growing your company. Safe workplaces are positive places for employees to work, and the more safety is a priority, the less you’ll have to deal with the company problems that accidents and injuries can cause.

Avoid Potential Lawsuits

The most obvious reason to prioritize employee safety is to avoid costly lawsuits. Even a minor injury that results in a trip to the emergency room can be costly. Although accidents can still happen, the possibility of having your company be sued goes dramatically down when you work hard to create a safe workplace.

Make sure you keep your equipment in good, functioning condition. Faulty seals, small leaks and other equipment problems are sometimes ignored while work is being done. Employees being trained with regard to OSHA will start to notice these problems more quickly and recommend how they can be resolved in order to maintain compliance. These actions will prevent slips, falls and other site accidents; if an inspection happens, you can avoid heavy fines.

Keep Your Business Operations Running Smoothly

Some safety hazards can potentially cease your business operations. For instance, roof leaks may cause employees to slip and fall, or your team may waste valuable work time mopping up water and setting out buckets. At worst, you could experience a major flood in the building or have water drip onto electrical equipment and create a shock hazard. Commercial roofs should be inspected regularly. When maintaining your roofing, avoid relying on employees who are not responsible for building maintenance. Instead, consider looking for a professional service such as Tillotson Enterprise Inc. Professional roofers provide services that can stop leaks so that your business can continue to operate safely.

Maintain a Comfortable Working Environment

Employees who work in hazardous conditions are more likely to experience a loss in productivity. They may also begin to worry about job security if they think that your company cannot afford to make essential repairs. When your employees feel safe, they are more likely to go the extra mile to complete their job duties as required. You’ll also see the benefit of making sure that you stay fully staffed when your employees aren’t having to take time off from work to care for their injuries.

Protect Your Company’s Reputation in the Community

It doesn’t take long for the word to spread about companies with high injury rates. Many news sources look for trends that they can use to report on as a warning to both job hunters and a company’s customers. Being able to boast that you’ve had zero injuries in your workplace recently helps you to develop a positive reputation that draws people to your business.

Follow OSHA Guidelines

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration–commonly referred to as OHSA or workplace safety–is an important consideration for any work environment. The federal agency in charge of workplace safety, OSHA, provides standards that many companies must adhere to. Depending on your industry, OSHA compliance officers may visit your facility to ensure your compliance. Because you will rarely, if ever, be notified beforehand of an inspection, it is smart to have your own workers trained on OSHA standards. This training will enable your business to take note of the four issues below so you’re always be prepared for an outside compliance officer. Your entire workplace will also be much safer. These are some of the things you should be sure to include in your safety protocol.

Provide Lifting Assistance

Workers can strain and hurt themselves by lifting heavy boxes and packages. As your workers learn what OSHA recommends, you may need to invest in forklifts, conveyor belts, and other aids that can make work more comfortable for people and reduce the chances that they will be hurt from lift attempts.

Provide Proper Protective Gear

Those being trained to learn OSHA standards will ensure that everyone wears the appropriate protective gear while on site. This will be different for each industry but typically includes eyewear, helmets, and boots. You should stock all required gear on-site and have extra pieces around so if gear must be replaced to keep a worker in compliance with OSHA standards, that can happen. You can also offer extra gear to outside compliance officers as a sign that your company is serious about safety for everyone on site.

Don’t Forget About Adequate Breaks

When the schedule is rushed, there are periods where people are working much longer than usual. It’s easy for managers to push worker break time to the side so that a project can be finished. Employees learning OSHA standards will be able to explain how long everyone’s breaks should be to comply with standards.

Companies naturally want to make a profit, which can sometimes cause decision-makers to put off important building and equipment maintenance services. However, putting off repairs too long can sometimes lead to serious issues regarding employee safety. Making sure that your workplace is safe helps to preserve your company’s assets and promote a strong reputation for safety that builds rapport among your employees. Having employees trained and keeping them on as internal OSHA compliance officers will ensure preparation for outside inspections. Training and adherence to OSHA standards will also increase workplace safety for all workers. To find OSHA training courses and programs, you can contact OSHA directly as well as various adult education schools in your area.