Why Is Workplace Safety Important

Every workplace must be completely up to date on health and safety issues in order to be productive and efficient as well as in keeping with the law. Although we know that this is essential because we are told to do it, why is workplace safety so important? What are the reasons other than legal ones that mean we should take this element of running a business so seriously? Our blog explains why workplace health and safety should never be ignored and how it can even help you to make more money in your business. Productivity In a workplace where there are managed health and safety programmes, productivity goes up. This increase is because the workers know that their safety is a priority and that in turn makes them happier to do their work; they want to please the employers who are looking after them so well. A happier, healthier workforce means better output and that creates better profits. So not only will you have employees who enjoy working for you and who are loyal to you, but you will also be making more money. This works in everyone’s favour. Not only will your company’s productivity increase, but the standard of the work will be higher too. Employees will be proud to work in a place that looks after them so well, and this means they will want to do as good a job as they possibly can. They may even choose to stay later to get work done rather than leaving at home time with a job half finished. Less Absenteeism Workers who don’t enjoy their jobs are more likely to take time off work for sickness than those who like to come in. Either they will pretend to be unwell because the idea of going into work fills them with dread, or they will take any kind of small illness as a reason (or excuse) not to go to work that day. For those who understand their health and safety is a priority, it is a different matter. They won’t take fake sick days and neither will they take days off for a few aches and pains or a slight cold. They will even come into work when they are feeling really unwell (although, due to health and safety again, they should be sent home to recover if this is the case). Better Workplace Standards If people are working in a place that they don’t think cares about them because there are very few, if any, health and safety procedures in place, it is unlikely that they will care about their workplace either. They won’t keep it clean or tidy up after themselves, for example. Ironically, this can make the health and safety aspect of the workplace even worse because tools and other items are left lying about wherever they were last used, and debris litters the communal areas. People who work in a place where they feel safe, happy, and valued will make more of an effort and will pick up after themselves and put their tools away safely. This has the bonus effect of maintaining high health and safety standards. Working Together Creating a health and safety programme is something that can bring management and other employees together, creating a sense of unity and comradeship. You might want to call a company-wide meeting where everyone can put their opinions across, and you can all discuss the different aspects of health and safety. It will be important to implement the ideas that make sense as soon as possible. Remember, having a small budget when it comes to health and safety is a potentially dangerous, or even life-threatening, thing to have, so you might need to take out a loan or other funding to cover it; this website will give you more information. Your workers will feel as though they are truly a part of the company, and this will make them happier still and much more loyal. If people stay working for you for a long time, this will save you money in the long term when it comes to finding new employees and potentially training them up. Less Property Damage Having to replace equipment that is damaged because there were inadequate health and safety provisions in place is always going to be expensive. If people are not taught how to use the machines and tools needed for their jobs, for example, then damage can easily occur. It might not cause injury, but if there is equipment that can no longer be used, not only will it cost a lot of money to replace, but it will also cut down on your productivity, losing your profits. Lower Insurance Premiums As with any kind of insurance, if you have to make a claim on your business insurance, the policy is likely to increase in price the next time you need to renew it. The more claims you make, the more you will end up spending on your insurance, and it could even become impossible to maintain. Without insurance, you won’t be able to run your business as you should, and you could run into big problems. If you have the correct health and safety measures in place, you are unlikely to need to use your insurance (that doesn’t mean, however, that you should cancel it; you should always have it in place, just in case). It means that the premiums are likely to fall each year or at least remain steady, and this makes it easier to pay and easier to budget for. Not only will this save you money, but it will impress customers too, whether they are end users or other businesses. A Good Reputation Having a good reputation for health and safety can boost sales and make people want to use you rather than your competition. It can be crucial when it comes to increasing your sales and setting you apart from other companies that sell similar products or offer similar services. A good reputation can be difficult to achieve, but fantastic customer service and happy employees will always help.

For more information on Why Is Workplace Safety Important talk to Wise Global Training Ltd