The Big Picture of a Safe Workplace
Table of Contents
A strong workplace culture
Playing by the rules and regulations
Recognize the Achilles heel
Lone worker safety policy
A clear picture of your workplace safety
It is difficult and somewhat complicated to describe what a safe workplace is. However, just because it isn’t easy, that does not mean we should give up on this definition as the safety and wellbeing of our teams and our companies are at serious stake.
At Safetyline Lone Worker, we have witnessed our partners, clients and even our own team members adapt and evolve to the ever-changing workplace environment, constantly exploring novel ways of protecting our staff and lone workers. As dynamic as this new workplace is, there are certain, constant factors and patterns that we can reference when painting the big picture of a safe workplace.
A strong workplace culture
The foundation of any safe workplace is the safety culture. One of the most significant threats to workplace wellbeing is a culture where team members feel they do not have a voice to speak up about safety issues and where they are not trained nor on board with the established safety rules and requirements. A strong safety culture has clearly defined goals and is the “product of multiple goal-directed interactions between people, jobs and the organization.”
There are a number of steps employers can take to improve safety culture such as having strongly worded and enforced policies, rewarding those who speak up about safety issues, as well as being completely transparent about such issues.
Playing by the rules and regulations
A major component of a safe workplace is keeping up-to-date with state and county laws as well as remaining consistent with company rules. For example, Colorado recently passed a law that will allow sick workers to stay at home for six days without losing any pay. The American Health Law Association has a great online resource to keep you updated with any developments related to COVID-19 and health law. Additionally, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration provides updates and information on recommendations for workers in specific industries, hazard recognition and key worker standards and instructions for workers, and COVID-19.
But in addition to these laws and regulations, an organization must have its own customized rules in place to protect its workers. These rules are clearly defined and are regularly communicated to an engaged staff who are thoroughly trained when necessary.
Recognize the Achilles heel
When creating a workplace where your team will be safe and protected, you also need to determine the areas that are vulnerable to a virus or any other existing hazards. This can include a contact tracing tool that identifies those who have been in contact with an infected person, tests them for infection, and then treats them if needed, finding and isolating cases before it spreads. This also means recognizing certain groups who are at greater risk of COVID-19 contraction and implementing specific measures to protect these people.
By recognizing these vulnerabilities at your company, you can then put actions in place to reduce any hazards, proactive measures protecting your team before any emergency occurs. A thorough hazard risk assessment will help you identify these hazards in a structured manner, empowering you to see the big safety picture early on.
Lone worker safety policy
We all know that lone workers are more vulnerable to existing safety hazards and risks than those who have the company of coworkers who can provide or request urgent help in an emergency situation. It is this vulnerability that presents a solid argument to develop a formal lone worker safety policy and use a lone worker safety template that acts as a proactive defense against the unique safety hazards that these people face on a daily basis.
An effective lone worker policy clearly states the policy’s mission and objectives, as well as the benefits so that those who are impacted by it, will be on board and enthusiastic about whatever protocols and practices the policy entails. The protocols must be easy to follow and not riddled with complex jargon, reducing the risk of allowing the protocols to be open to interpretation which could have dangerous consequences. Additionally, the policy must be clear on who it benefits and those affected must be educated and regularly updated on how it impacts their work.
A clear picture of your workplace safety
When painting the big picture of your workplace safety it is not only important to include all of the pertinent details but it is essential to paint them clearly as well. To do this, there must be a constant flow of meaningful communication and feedback between managers and the engaged staff, a team all on the same page and having each other’s backs. While it can be overwhelming looking at the larger, complex safety picture, we recommend you approach each area and pain point individually so that in the end, your picture will have all of the needed elements for a safe workplace where your team will be happy and do their best work.