You want everyone in your business to be safe, right? Then you need to have the right safety equipment and measures in place. If you don’t have any of these things, you could be putting your employees at risk.
Here are the things you need!
People who know what they’re doing
When something goes wrong, you need people who have been trained to deal with the situation. You need someone who can take charge if someone is injured or if a fire breaks out. Thankfully, pretty much any employee you have can potentially be in such a position. They just need the right training! You should consider having at least a couple of employees who have had some first aid training.
An emergency plan
Just because you’ve got a bunch of safety equipment, don’t get cocky! You should never assume that nothing bad is going to happen. In fact, you should probably start assuming that the worst is eventually going to happen! This may sound pessimistic, but it’s the mindset you need to you want to come up with an effective emergency plan. If your office doesn’t meet safety standards that allow for an effective emergency plan, then you need to consider working with commercial movers such as Bekins to get you and your employees to an office that does! You need to plan out what your employees need to do in specific dangerous scenarios. Make sure everyone knows what the drill is, and that you all occasionally practice it.
A first aid kit
A lot of businesses neglect to have first aid kits on-site. This is a big mistake! Generally, you’ll find that the people who don’t have them at work are business owners who don’t class the job as a dangerous one. In some ways, I can see the logic. An office job, for example, is hardly that hazardous. But let me ask you this: would you neglect to have one in your own home? Hopefully, the answer is “no”!
Of course, it’s easy enough to say “you should have a first aid kit”. But what should be in the first aid kit? There’s not really a universal standard, here. Well, bandages and plasters are a must. Antiseptic wipes, too. Some gauze pads and some tweezers would be useful. Some people also keep eyewash in the first aid kits.
Fire extinguisher (and other fire safety equipment)
If you don’t have fire safety equipment, then it’s likely that you’re breaking the law! As the employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone is as safe as possible. So you should make sure you have a fire extinguisher, at least. Fire blankets are also highly recommended, in case worst comes to worst and someone has to make their way through a blaze. You could also consider having some sprinklers installed.
Business-specific needs
Remember: every business is going to have specific safety needs. You can’t just look up the most basic, general list and decide you’ve got everything. If you’re working in a factory, for example, you’re probably going to need an abundance of safety signs. People who work on a construction site will need specific clothing and protection from the potential dangers there. And if something goes wrong, you may need basket stretchers on hand to safely transport someone.
