National Safety Month

Most employees feel safe at their place of work, but that is mostly because nothing has ever happened there. In workplaces where fires, accidents, violence and other disruptions have occurred, employees know that bad things can happen and are not complacent about their safety. This month, National Safety Month, is a good time to take a good look at your workplace to see exactly how safe you can make it. Get your team together to discuss this, and don't forget to get employee input as well.

Workplace health and safety hazards can be costly (to lives and the bottom line), but the good news is that they are largely preventable if you take the right precautions. (Item #1)     Here are a few ways to make your office safer. (Item #2)   What should employers do to protect workers from fire hazards? (Item #3)    

A company should provide employees with a safe parking lot as well as protection while getting to or from that lot. (Item #4)     Help keep your home office space secure for kids and pets by following these safety guidelines. (Item #5)     As a leader, you are responsible not only for your own safety, but for the security and safety of those you lead. (Item #6)    

As always, I look forward to hearing about your concerns with regard to business continuity. If there are any topics that you'd like to see covered, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Nine Avoidable Workplace Health and Safety Hazards

You don't need to work surrounded by combustible materials to face serious health and safety risks. Common workplace health and safety hazards include: communicable disease, transportation accidents, workplace violence, slipping and falling, toxic events, particularly chemical and gas exposure, getting struck by objects, electrocution or explosion, repetitive motion and ergonomic injuries, and hearing loss. Although some hazards are less likely to happen in some work spaces than others, it's important to assess which hazards are most damaging to your business and your employees.
http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/05/9-avoidable-workplace-health-safety-hazards.html

2. How to Make Your Office a Safe Place

While employee safety may be initially thought of for those in the construction or manufacturing industry, workers outside of those two industries also need to be sure that they will be safe in all senses of the word, physically and otherwise. They should be able to feel that their workplace is safe for them to express opinions and know that their private information will stay private. It does not matter how big or small your business is; you should make the safety of your employees a top priority.
http://www.business2community.com/travel-leisure/how-to-make-your-office-a-safe-place-0396174

3. Fire Safety in the Workplace

Employers should train workers about fire hazards in the workplace and about what to do in a fire emergency. If you want your workers to evacuate, you should train them on how to escape. If you expect your workers to use firefighting equipment, you should give them appropriate equipment and train them to use the equipment safely.
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/FireSafetyN.pdf

4. There's a lot to know about parking lot safety

After a day at work, safety may be the last thing you think about as you walk to/through the company parking lot. But don't take your personal safety for granted. There are more than 75 million parking places for workplace or commuter parking and most of them are littered with hazards.
http://telcominsgrp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Parking-Lot-Safety.pdf

5. Is Your Home Office Safe for Kids and Pets?

If you're one of the growing numbers of individuals who work part-time or full-time from home, have you given any thought as to whether or not your home work space is safe for your kids or pets? Something as common as dropped rubber bands, paper clips or staples could lead to physical harm in a home office - in the hands of a crawling tot who puts everything she finds in her mouth, or in the paws and mouth of a curious kitten.
http://www.hostway.com/web-resources/no-category/is-your-home-office-safe-for-kids-and-pets/

6. Seven Steps to Keep Employees Safe in The Workplace

We live in a world where bad things happen in the workplace. Yesterday shots were fired near the White House and less recently a lone gunman created havoc at the Navy Shipyards. As much as we fear the acts and despise the perpetrators, the reality is that these events have become commonplace. In addition to these acts of terror, the safety of your team can be at risk due to natural disasters and other unexpected events. And yet few people ever really think it will happen to them.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228735