Keeping your employees safe keeps your business safe

Recent statistics from the Labour Force Survey show that an average of 22 workers die prematurely in the manufacturing industry per year. This from a sector which employs around 2.6 million people. The report shows that around 3,100 major injuries are sustained each year. 4,100 injuries led to seven or more days off. With safety fast becoming the priority for so many sectors, manufacturing firms need to keep up-to-date with current regulations. Here are some quick tips to ensure your business has the basics right.

Training and understanding

Whether experienced or not, educate your employees regularly on how your tools, machinery or devices operate. Ensuring they fully understand that it is vital not just for their future, but for you as a director and the business itself. If there are regular changes or regulatory advances, ensure that any mandatory training has been undertaken by your employees and offer additional training where appropriate.

Trips and slips

A clean, uncluttered workplace is basic practice to ensure a safe working environment, but it’s not always followed by all businesses. Especially applicable for those working with machinery or dangerous equipment, having loose objects laying around is quite literally an accident waiting to happen. Halt production, clean it up and ensure a tidy workplace mentality is followed by all.

Concentration

Consider your employees and the work they undertake. Do they look stressed or tired? The workload you give them could be too much, increasing the risk of an accident. Fatigue in a manufacturing workplace can be complex. Yet anything from clean air, natural light, regular breaks and adhering to the working time directive can not only improve health and safety but boost morale and productivity too.

Materials

If your manufacturing business deals with special materials, consider how these are moved, treated or dealt with. Whether it’s wearing PPE or using a specific machine or vehicle to move material, there is no reason to take shortcuts.

Regardless of the size or shape of your manufacturing business, find quality insurance with Fiveways Insurance. Call 01952 812 380 to get started.