When planning for your day, you probably make a list of priorities, tasks, and items to be followed up on. Factoring in daily time to address workplace injuries and accidents is not typically a line written into a daily planner. Accidents are never planned, and it’s impossible to know when one will occur. However, it is possible to plan for accident prevention.
The best way to prevent workplace injuries is to eliminate any potential safety hazard. This is accomplished through the use of engineering controls such as designing a process to remove the hazard, substituting a less hazardous process or chemical, or establishing a physical barrier or local ventilation to reduce exposure. Engineering controls are the best way to eliminate safety hazards because the control removes human error from the equation. If the process is set up so that employees do not need to make a conscious decision regarding their safety, there is no chance that the employee will make an unsafe decision. It is easier to control the environment than employee habits.
Safe work practices & administrative controls are the second line of defense against accidents. Safe work practices and administrative controls are comprised of your company’s safety programs and rules, operating procedures, and job rotation practices.
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF THESE TYPES OF CONTROLS MAY INCLUDE:
– Setting up step by step procedures for employees to follow
– Training employees on safe work practices and procedures
– Training employees on hazards and chemicals in the workplace
– Limiting time employees work in a noisy area
If a hazard still exists after implementing engineering, work practice, and administrative controls, personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense. PPE use should always be considered the last element of accident prevention since it does not eliminate the hazard, but adds a barrier between the hazard and the employee. PPE also comes with a higher degree of human error than other types of controls. The use of PPE requires users to be trained on hazard awareness and PPE use.
Other accident prevention tactics include periodic safety inspections and preventative maintenance programs. Safety inspections are a great way to increase general hazard awareness among employees. Preventative maintenance programs ensure that equipment is repaired or replaced before the equipment actually fails.
You may not be able to foresee every accident, but it sure is possible to take measures to prevent them. Give LSCI a call at (724) 776-1003 to discuss what you can do to effectively prevent accidents at your workplace.