There are many things you will need to manage when you’re a business owner, from budgets, marketing strategies, overseeing everyday operations, and planning for the future of your company, to name but a few of these responsibilities. You will also need to make sure that you and the rest of your employees are working in a safe, positive environment.
Sure, you have got a workspace erected with the help of a reputed general contractor. But that does not mean all your work has been done. You will need to ensure that the place is in workable condition and is not hazardous. This will be key to keeping up morale and maintaining a good reputation as an employer, not to mention a legal requirement, saving you from potential worker compensations. In that regard, here are some tips to make sure that you are operating a safe working environment at all times.
Create an Employee Handbook
A good place to start if you are hiring staff is by creating an employee handbook that they can refer to. This guide will outline what you expect from your employees in terms of their conduct while they are working for you, including your policies on things like absenteeism, sickness, harassment, and equal opportunities. Using frameworks like the DEI Maturity Model can also help you strengthen these policies by providing a structured approach to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. You should also provide information regarding employee training, the correct procedures for taking annual leave, and basic health and safety guides.
Reach Out to Health and Safety Services
Another great way to make sure that your business is adhering to the legal health and safety requirements is by reaching out to services that can help you maintain this. For example, if you’re business is located in Bristol, The Health & Safety Dept in Bristol will be who you turn to. They will be able to inspect your working environment and give you guidance on how you can improve. They can also provide training programs for your staff, including first aid training, so that you have peace of mind your employees are getting the right information on how to be safe in the workplace. Look for your local Health and Safety department online to get assistance for your company.
Regular Fire Drills
You must make sure that not only are the fire alarms in your workplace working properly, and you have made use of infrared thermography to ensure your electrical equipment does not pose a significant danger to your premises and staff, but also that your employees understand the correct procedure if there ever happens to be a blaze. Regular fire drills will help you refresh people’s memories and test their ability to follow these instructions. You don’t have to have a drill every week, but try to do this every few months. It shouldn’t cause too much disruption to your workday. You should also make sure that employees understand how they should respond in the unlikely event that there is a bomb threat.
Cyber Security
In the age of the digital, many threats can come through your IT networks that could severely damage your company and potentially put employees and clients at risk as well. You must make sure that you have excellent cyber security in place and that you’re doing everything you can to protect important and confidential data. You might find it beneficial to use a professional IT service to help you keep your security updated, even if you already have an in-house IT team. The external service can assist your in-house team with managing these tasks.
CCTV, Alarms, and Security Passes
Another way to make sure that your employees are kept safe is by maintaining quality security for your office as well. If you’re leasing office space from a building management company, they will likely already have these things in place. However, if you do own the office building, you will need to have CCTV installed and a quality alarm system. Another thing to consider is reinforcing any weak points in the building that intruders may seek to exploit; this Riot Glass security window film can be installed very easily, and will provide you with peace of mind that your windows can withstand a great deal of force. In addition to this, you may also want to think about providing employees with security key cards to get into the office or limiting access to restricted areas.
To be honest, CCTVs and alarm systems are quite effective for maintaining the security of a building. But have you ever thought of considering a smart building that can provide you with real-time insight and control over building operations to ensure a safe and secure workplace? Yes, it can be done! How, you ask? By using the Vantiq platform. It can analyze and ingest streaming data from existing and new IoT devices, cameras, and enterprise systems in order to create real-time situational awareness on the edge.
Signs and Organization
Finally, you can keep your working environment safe by making sure that hazards and risks are signposted properly, as well as keeping the workspace organized. For example, having wet floor signs for spills or when there has been heavy rainfall leaving the floors slippery as people come in from outside. Signs to indicate electrical hazards on fuse boxes, plug sockets, etc., will also be beneficial. You should also make sure that any storage cupboards are kept free from clutter, as it can be easy for people to trip or have boxes fall on them if things are stored unsafely. A declutter of your storage spaces once every few months will help you to keep on top of this.
If you want to make sure that your business can offer a safe working environment for your employees and visitors, use these tips as a good starting point to help you maintain that properly.