Why you should review your site safety policies for 2016

Posted on 31 Dec 2015 by The Manufacturer

Every workplace has its own dangers. The more employees and equipment you have, the more dangerous it can become. However, many accidents that occur throughout the year in the UK can be avoided.

Unfortunately, many organisations don’t prioritise workplace safety and pay dearly for this mistake. Putting in place the appropriate safety measures greatly reduces the risk of injuries to employees, fatalities and damage to equipment. These are some good reasons why you should review your site safety policies for 2016.

It creates a safer work environment

It may sound obvious but reviewing your site safety policies will make your organisation a safer place to work in 2016. Workplaces change over a year. You may have expanded, employed more people, bought new equipment or diversified into other business activities. This means many of the policies that were applicable to your business last year may now be redundant.

If change has taken place, your site safety policies have to be updated too. Adequate first aid equipment, fire prevention procedures, safety walkways and other safety related features should all be considered for your current workplace conditions.

You retain employees

Many industries find it difficult to hire skilled staff. When you do find these people, you want to retain their services for as long as possible. However, if you don’t review and implement the appropriate safety policies in your business, these people will often decide to leave and work in another organisation that takes safety seriously. Involving staff in the safety aspect of a business is a clear way to demonstrate how serious your company is about the well-being of its employees.

You have a more productive workplace

A knock-on effect of this buy-in from staff is a more productive, efficient workforce. When people feel they are respected they are more likely to work harder and take less sick leave. Work place injuries are also reduced which leads to more productivity and less claims for compensation for accidents.

Helps maintain a good reputation

A business that’s safe to work in attracts better employees and is trusted more by other businesses. However, if you fail to review and improve your site safety policies, this can reflect badly on you and your organisation.

A bad reputation has the potential to attract the wrong kind of attention. If word gets out that your business is not following its safety obligations, it can lead to frequent safety checks and audits by safety authorities. In the worst case scenario your business could be shut down until all site safety policies are reviewed and updated.

Keeps you in business

Ultimately, you want to stay in business. However, if you rarely review safety policies or don’t review them at all, there is a greater likelihood your business could be shut down. This is something that can be avoided, but often it’s not addressed until it’s too late.

Every business is set up to make money. Not reviewing your site safety policies for 2016 could have many financial implications for your business. Workplace injuries, non-productive time and the other factors above can all impact on the future of your business, so it’s vital to review your site safety policies and reduce these risks.