Safety is vital for employee welfare and productivity. Safety programs protect both the worker and the business assets. It is also a moral and legal obligation for any business and managers, as well as owners, must take responsibility to ensure this is provided in workplaces.
7 Reasons Why Workplace Safety is Important
1. Increased productivity
2. Proper use of company equipment
3. Reduced absenteeism
4. Reduce panic and fatalities
5. Less work injury costs
6. Workplace safety good for marketing
7. It is the law and makes financial sense
The question of why workplace safety is so important has never been more relevant than it is today. Even today, with better understanding and superior safety standards, people still get injured at work, sometimes fatally.
You would expect this to raise the level of concern among employers but sadly, it does not. Employers would rather save on expenditure than invest in safety programs that enhance workplace experience
for employees.
With the current practice of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for adequate workplace safety cannot be overemphasized. Here are the top 7 reasons why workplace safety is important.
1. Increased productivity
Employees work well, faster, efficiently, and with enthusiasm when they operate in a safe environment. Eliminating worry about personal safety, especially at high-risk sites that include construction and factory floors, is a great motivation for enhanced productivity.
When, as an employer, you put in place appropriate and clearly visible safety programs, you raise your employees’ morale.
You also earn their loyalty by these programs as you demonstrate concern for their safety and welfare. Every worker wants to serve an employer that cares and to go home safe after duty.
An added advantage to such overt programs is that workers take responsibility for them and help in sustaining. This, in turn, makes it easier for management to maintain standards and build trust with employees.
2. Proper use of company equipment
Safety standards at the workplace ensure proper use of equipment and facilities by all involved. Operating some machinery can be dangerous if proper safety requirements are not observed.
Something as simple as failing to use protective eyewear could leave a worker blind for life, negatively affecting the individual as it does the employer through medical expenses and loss of labor.
Nick Crawley is a leading essay writer and proofreading expert in engineering subjects that include electrical, civil and mechanical. He has practiced OHSAS and ISO for construction sites and manufacturing industry. In his view, training employees is a key plank in ensuring safety in the workplace and safe equipment use.
He further adds that the provision of safety equipment alone does not guarantee safety for workers without proper training on recommended usage. Proper use of personal protection equipment (PPE) ensures they last long and reduces maintenance as well as replacement costs for the employer.
3. Reduced absenteeism
Whether minor or major, any type of injury naturally leads to absenteeism. It is not ethical to force an injured person to report to work.
This makes it imperative for the company management to avoid such situations by minimizing workplace injuries through a sound safety program. With less absenteeism, service and productivity enjoy stability without undue interruptions.
Your clients create relationships with particular employees and like being served by them every time they transact business with you.
If any or most of these employees are frequently absent due to preventable causes at work, it will slow down customer service time and cut out the advantage of familiarity previously leveraged. Obviously, you do not want to lose customers, so put greater emphasis on workplace safety.
4. Reduce panic and fatalities
Most times, severe injuries and even deaths occur in workplaces during emergencies due to a lack of proper safety protocols. It is important that when you install safety features, workers are informed and know where, when, how, and what to do in case of an emergency or accident. Clear guidelines on this will save lives and limb when it matters.
Let workers know where to access fire-fighting equipment in a fire emergency. Designated and clear exits in such situations will help reduce further injuries from stampedes in obstructed exits.
Knowing where to assemble for headcount is critical in saving those found missing. Reducing fatalities at the workplace is reason enough for a concerned employer to invest in safety measures.
5. Less work injury costs
Investing in a workplace safety program may prove less costly than having none. Injuries at work come with multiple costs, both direct and indirect, but all affecting the company operations negatively. In most cases, indirect costs are much higher than direct costs and can affect your balance sheet adversely.
Direct costs comprise medical, program costs, and indemnity payments that may be covered by insurance. Indirect costs, on the other hand, are vast, depending on the nature of the business involved.
Work injuries can lead to lost productivity, equipment damage, cost of replacing the injured worker, especially a skilled one, and even loss of goodwill and business. A good workplace safety program will save you such immense loses and is worth investing in.
6. Workplace safety good for marketing
Image and perception in business is everything. How prospective clients view your premises will determine chances for winning your next contract.
Safety measures in a workplace are easily visible to a discerning eye and a visiting prospect will notice. How your office, worksite, or factory floor looks is a reflection of your competence in what you do.
A workplace safety program will save you from adverse publicity arising from government shutdown due to safety breaches. No client wants to associate with a disgraced business and you might find yourself in serious financial troubles.
Avoid this sad scenario by taking the initiative to put in place a solid safety program for the benefit of your employees and your business.
7. It is the law and makes financial sense
If, for no other reason, you as an employer will be compelled to enforce workplace safety programs by respective national labor laws. As regulations under these laws are mandatory, failure to comply will earn you prosecution alongside shutdown. Naturally, this will negatively affect your business operations and recovery might prove hard.
Financial implications of legal proceedings against you could be dire. Similarly, direct and indirect costs to cover injuries occurring in the workplace could ruin you financially. It makes financial sense to spend little on a safety program than pay hefty sums in damages.
Author’s Bio
David is one of the professional writer and a blogger from Virginia. He has started his career nine years ago. Ever since, he has worked for several companies that provide dissertation service. David has been part of the best writing services team for some of the most prestigious writing services, top-rated among students.
