How to make your manufacturing environment safer

Improving the safety of your manufacturing environment is a great way to reduce overhead expenses and to make sure your employees aren't getting injured on the job. You want them to stay safe as it helps to reduce your risk of issues like lawsuits and severe workplace injuries that could cause lifelong damages to your employees. So what can you do to make your manufacturing environment safer for your employees? Here are some simple safety tips you can follow in order to keep everyone safe and protected.

Safety tip # 1 - Take Action
One of the best ways to improve the safety of your manufacturing environment is by talking to your employees and to teach them how to have common sense and change their behaviors. Far too often workplace accidents are caused by employees that aren't doing their jobs correctly. Take a look at each job and work with your employees to see what you can change that will make their jobs easier and safer. Do some drills with the employees to go over simple things that need to be changed within the way they work like placing boxes on the edge of a desk or placing heavier ones on top of lighter ones. By having them identify the potential dangers and fixing them, you are pushing them to focus on common problems in the workplace and fix them early.

Safety tip # 2 - Signs
Put up signs that clearly identify potential hazards within the workplace. These signs will make employees aware of the dangers. You also need to use the signs to tell your employees what they need to do in order to avoid getting hurt such as labeling machines with "do not turn knob" or "lift with your legs." Signs are easy ways to help prevent accidents in the workplace.

Safety tip # 3 - Purchase proper equipment
Another way to keep your employees safe is by purchasing safe equipment and the right type of equipment to start with. The equipment will help your employees to perform their job duties easier and it also helps you to produce better products. In addition to purchasing the right equipment, you also need to make sure you are having the equipment serviced often to keep it running properly.Simple things like keeping the equipment clean can prevent build up of grease and other things and will help you to make the equipment last longer.

Safety tip # 4 - Install lighting
To draw attention to unsafe things such as a machine moving or a products coming off a conveyer belt, using lighting. This is a universal way to communicate to your employees and to warn them of hazards and other things when they are performing their job duties. Lighting is also a great way to organize your facility and to show your employees where they need to place products or orders. Lighting is cheap and it usually more effective than signs.

Safety tip # 5 - Behavior-based safety training
Have routine behavior-based safety training and inspections. This is a great way to watch your employees to see if they are doing their jobs correctly and what needs to change in order for them to properly do their jobs. Implementing behavior-based safety may be costly at first, but it's easy to maintain and it's a great way to ensure that your employees are staying safe at work.Part of the training will include teaching employees how to properly use their tools and to make sure they aren't causing problems to themselves such as bending over to turn a knob and straining their back. Safety is not only important to your company, but it is mandatory to stay in business. Make sure you have safety policies and that you take the time to work with your employees to stay safe.