We’ve all seen those annoying claims adverts on television asking if we’ve ever had an accident at work, but they do make a good point. Most accidents at work can be avoided if proper measures are put in place and adhered to.
Slips, trips and falls
According to HSE, in 2015/6 there were 621,000 self-reports of non-fatal injuries and of those injuries 19% were attributed to slipping and tripping. Most slips, trips and falls occur due to hazards and the blame can be placed upon the employer. Not only can this leave employers liable, but employees being absent due to injury can cost employers too. To reduce the risk of this type of injury to employees there are a number of things that employers can do.
Ensuring that all spillages are cleaned up means there is less likelihood of someone slipping and injuring themselves. If a spillage cannot be cleaned right away, it’s essential that a warning sign is erected to highlight the hazard.
Having a cluttered and messy work environment can also contribute to trips. But by having clear guidelines in place about what is acceptable and what is not, you can reduce the number of accidents. However, it is vital that these guidelines are adhered to otherwise there’s no point.
Creating hazards with your cleaning equipment
The cleaning equipment you use can actually become a hazard if used incorrectly or in the wrong environment. For example, if you’re using a mains powered scrubber dryer but you have a lot of stairs and different floors to clean, the cable is going to cause a hazard for both the user and those around them. For this kind of cleaning job, a battery powered scrubber dryer would be much more suitable.
Having staff using cleaning equipment that they’re not properly trained on can also be a hazard. No employee should ever use equipment that they’re not comfortable with because it can be dangerous for them and those around them. Improper or incomplete training may save costs in the short-term but is poor form and can end up costing business owners even more in the long-run.
