Here’s How You Can Set and Achieve The Perfect Workplace Safety Goals For 2019

 

As does every new year, 2019 will bring exciting new changes to workplace safety. Safety barriers for forklifts, pedestrians, and more, can separate the people close to you from the ever-present risks in your line of work. Pinch points can be identified, slips and falls minimised, heavy items dropped less frequently, but without the proper workplace safety goals, these improvements could only be temporary. Responding to the changes in your dynamic field will mean setting new workplace safety goals – but do you know how to set and implement your workplace safety goals effectively?

Don’t let updating your workplace safety goals overwhelm you. Read on to see how you can bring workplace accidents to a new low in 2019.

 

What workplace safety goals should I focus on?

Eliminating accidents and injuries should be everyone’s #1 workplace safety objective, but is the result – fewer injuries – how we should measure our safety goals?

Believe it or not, measuring results is often less successful than measuring preventative measures. If the only achievable goal you communicate to your team is “fewer accidents” but you do not identify a clear, measurable process to achieve that goal, you may accomplish little more than disincentivising your team from reporting accidents.

Centre your workplace safety goals on measuring processes, not results. Nobody knows your workplace better than you.

Step 1: Audit your own workplace.

Seek out likely hazards. What are the most common types of accidents occurring in your workplace? Where are those accidents most frequently occurring? When? Collect data and use it to inform your strategy.

Step 2: Identify key areas you can focus on.

Whether your safety signage needs updating, or you observe that safe lifting techniques should be better followed, identify the key areas that affect safety in your workplace.

Step 3: Develop processes that will yield fewer accidents.

More frequent safety inspections, different handling procedures, updated safety equipment, or new safety barriers are measurable preventative measures you can implement effectively.

How can I best communicate and implement workplace safety goals?

Any new workplace safety goals you develop will have zero impact if they are not effectively communicated to your entire workforce. Training meetings with your team leaders will equip everyone with the necessary knowledge to communicate new goals further down the chain of command, but regular inspections of their progress with these goals, and surveys of your workforce can also help identify areas where workers may not be clear on new safety objectives.

Make data collection integral to your workplace safety goals. Current, accurate data regarding implementation and incidents will help you gauge the success of your goals and update them if necessary.

Safety training should not be a one-off exercise for your team. Periodic training helps ensure your team members know their current safety procedures, the most significant hazards they face, and how their safety is being measured. Convene regular safety committees, hold emergency drills often, and practice documenting and investigating accidents. 2019 also offers new digital technology to keep your workplace informed and safe, such as online tools and safety apps.

 

How will safety barrier systems protect my workforce?

Separating your workers from potential hazards is the most common safety precaution you’ll take every year. Barriers, separating workers or pedestrians from pinch points and areas of heavy machinery traffic or loose elevated items, make for simple and measurable workplace safety goals.

DexSafe offers a variety of barriers to keep your workers safe. ForkSafe Impact Barriers protect your employees from pinch points and machinery traffic, while PedSafe Segregation Barriers set clear boundaries for pedestrians to avoid the hazards of your worksite. Flexible barriers such as SpanSafe Expandable Barriers can provide removable barriers that still allow for optimised workflow and logistics while offering protection as needed.

 

Workplace safety is the most important goal

Everyone in your team shares a basic, common goal: going home safely at the end of every day. For 2019, set realistic objectives to improve the safety of your workplace, but always strive for the ambitious goal of zero accidents. For more information about reaching safety perfection, contact a DexSafe consultant today.