There are many incentives for employers to stay on top of safety requirements and safe working habits. Avoiding costly fines, safeguarding workers’ lives and limbs, and ensuring work continues efficiently without broken equipment are all legitimate reasons for companies to make sure every safety requirement possible is being followed.
But even the best of intentions cannot stop some safety requirements from being overlooked. And some requirements are more easily overlooked than others.
Finding and fixing these overlooked safety issues will put employers ahead of pack in their efforts to keep workers safe. So employers on a mission to continuously improve safety, avoid potential unnecessary risks, and button-up safety gaps should focus on these three most overlooked safety requirements.
Proper Equipment for the Job
PPE is still a major topic discussed in the news as masks become less common in public spaces. But proper PPE on the job is still tightly regulated and needs to be properly evaluated.
Most employers understand the importance of equipping their workers with the proper PPE for specific tasks or roles. But few realize that OSHA has requirements dictating that each position in an organization be surveyed to determine what kind of PPE is required to perform the tasks of that role. This is known as a PPE Hazard Assessment and must be performed and properly document or else employers will face potential consequences from OSHA.
Monitor Alertness & Health
Valuable employees put in the work and put in the hours, but employers need to ensure that workers aren’t pushing themselves too hard in the process. Workers that try to complete complex tasks, hazardous maneuvers, or operate heavy equipment while tired or distracted put both themselves and their fellow workers at risk.
Employers should monitor to ensure that workers assigned to higher risk positions and equipment are well rested and alert before beginning the work. Making sure employees take their scheduled breaks and stay home when feeling under the weather also helps cut down on unnecessary risks introduced by working while drowsy or distracted.
Review Documentation and Safety Records
Safety recordkeeping is never the most fun task. But using up to date information and ensuring all relevant safety information is properly documented will save employers from a number of complications and headaches.
All safety training tools and manuals should be reviewed every few years to determine they’re still relevant and accurate. This is particularly important as OSHA standards update and as companies expand to take on new roles and capabilities.
Records should also be kept around company safety audits, inspections, onboardings, and employee certifications to ensure protocols, licenses, and regulations are current and correct. OSHA requires specific documentation be recorded but keeping these other recordables up to date helps employers better track relevant safety KPIs and goals.
Partner with Safety Professionals
Identifying, evaluating, and resolving every potential safety requirement is a lot of work to do alone. Sometimes companies can be overwhelmed trying to keep track of which safety requirements are being followed, which requirements haven’t been watched as closely, and which requirements need updating. Juggling all this safety data in addition to navigating day-to-day business can bog down employers and lead to certain aspects being overlooked. Bringing in an outside team of safety professionals can alleviate this stress and anxiety from employers and ensure that the company is managing their safety effectively.
Partnering with the safety professionals at Amerisafe Group to perform a P3 Safety Culture AnalysisTM will help employers more thoroughly identify existing safety gaps, overlooked safety requirements, and opportunities for improved efficiency. Amerisafe’s team of safety experts is uniquely qualified to provide an objective third-party perspective to quantify and evaluate a company’s safety performance over 30 distinct KPIs. Amerisafe then works with company representatives to understand the details within this Safety Snapshot and form a holistic, actionable plan to improve workplace safety and address any potential safety gaps. Utilize the knowledge and expertise of a team of safety professionals to create a workplace that’s confidently safe, compliant, and efficient.
Amerisafe Group provides the information and services to help companies develop safety leaders and improve overall safety performance. For more information on how Amerisafe can assist with your businesses’ safety needs, contact an expert today.
