Safety Shortcuts

To ensure everyone knows exactly where they should go when duty calls, no matter where they are in the organization or shop floor, it is advisable to add some floor markings that always point people toward the nearest exit. Reflective floor tape or neon sign is affordable option that can be used in almost any environment.

9. Training

We have emphasized this already but, when a company hires someone on, they typically provide them with all the training they will need to do their job properly. In some cases, however, that is all the new employee has for quite some time. This is one of the most dangerous types of workplace safety shortcuts, because it exposes not only this individual, but the entire facility to danger, especially in the ever changing world we find ourselves today.

It is of paramount importance to provide high quality safety training to all employees when they are hired on, and then continue to give updates to this training on a regular basis. Sure the HSE Specialist can draw a time table and get training covered in the yearly budget of his/her organization. Simple refresher courses can help keep everyone focused on training as long as they work in the company.

10. Maintenance

Keeping the machinery up to date and well maintained is absolutely essential to the safety of the entire organization. Putting off maintenance on a machine until something is broken or causing problems might seem like it will save time and money at first, but in reality it will do neither. Remember there are several types of maintenance, schedules and provisions made by manufacturers of these machines. These schedules are important and must not be short circuited by users.

Employers must meet the general maintenance requirements of each machine and make these well documented so that nothing is missed. Keeping the machines running smoothly will not only make the workplace safer, but it will also prevent unnecessary downtime and work stoppages and financial losses.

Safety Shortcuts

If you think shortcuts are great ways to get things done faster, you need to evaluate the accompanying implications should something go wrong. It is always safer to “Do it Right the First Time and Always” than to have to either redo it later or deal with the consequences of the shortcut or safety violations later.

We therefore encourage employees or workers to always take the time to fully evaluate any workplace safety shortcuts they observe and discourage or discontinue with them. They should blow the whistle no matter who is involved.

We advise employers to conduct Health, Safety and Environment trainings aimed at discouraging short cuts and provide incentives to safe work practices, accident prevention suggestions and interventions.

We also advise all leaders in the organization especially top management must lead by example. They (management) must impress it upon the entire workforce to report unsafe acts and conditions and take proactive steps to prevent shortcuts.

Management should prove to employees that safety is an every body’s concern “safety comes first” and it is much better to lose one minute in your life than your life in one minute through shortcut.

Thank you