01 Sep Is This Your Situation: Addressing Safety Meetings and Workers’ Comp
To make sure you are aligned with OSHA rules, keep an eye on training. Note that these requirements will vary by company. While the requirements may be extensive for one company, they may be minimal for another. Ultimately, it depends on the type of work your employees perform and the types of hazards they might encounter in the workplace.
The training rules may be less rigorous for some employers. For instance, employers with 10 or fewer employees can communicate their emergency action plan orally to employees. Larger employers, however, must have a written emergency action plan.
Safety meetings
In addition to any required training, one of the best ways to maintain a safe work environment is to schedule regular, well-planned safety meetings. Here are some steps to successful safety meetings:
No surprises. Hold the meetings on the same day and time so employees can easily plan for them. If you have monthly meetings, always hold them at 10:00 on the second Tuesday, for example. This helps ensure no one will suddenly find they have another meeting at the same time.
Short and sweet. Some industries have a lot of safety issues. Don’t try to cover the whole range at once — people will tune out. Cover a few issues each time.
Consider the topics. Depending on your business, you’ll want to cover a range of topics, from using personal protective equipment to prevent serious or even fatal injuries to best practices such as how to lift a heavy box to avoid back strain.
Engagement is key. Make presentations two-way. Don’t just read PowerPoint slides. Invite questions and suggestions. Point out employees who have been doing it right as examples. Pay special attention to long-term employees who have seen it all and can provide advice for the rookies.
Make it fun. Some companies have achieved success with safety games. For example, you can set up a “Jeopardy!”-style game where a category is fire safety and employees compete to see who knows all the steps to take in the event of a fire.
Safety meetings are always win-win, as they help keep everyone out of harm’s way. But even beyond that, there’s a financial incentive: More safety meetings will mean fewer injuries, and that could mean lower premiums. So no matter what your size or type of business, give us a call to help you with safety meetings and OSHA compliance generally, for a safer and more profitable business.
Original content by © IndustryNewsletters. All Rights Reserved. This information is provided with the understanding that Payroll Partners is not rendering legal, human resources, or other professional advice or service. Professional advice on specific issues should be sought from a lawyer, HR consultant or other professional.