Working with your employees for a safer manufacturing plant

In a world with an increasing number of lawsuits, executives in the manufacturing field are looking for ways to better regulate and enforce safety rules in the work place. While as executives you can try to implement these regulations upon your employees, working with your employees for a safer manufacturing plant will be more beneficial for the company as well as for the employees themselves.

The most important aspect in creating a safer manufacturing plant is knowing what the regulations and safety standards are. As executives, it is crucial that you study (perhaps with legal counsel) government regulations on your specific type of manufacturing. Determine if there are further regulations that would benefit your company. Discuss how you can best utilize your budget to implement the regulations and safety standards. Recognize ways you can involve your employees in helping to make a safer work environment as well as how you can motivate them to improve safety in the manufacturing plant.

After the executives understand the regulations, you need to educate all employees on the regulations and safety standards. Explaining the regulations and safety standards in a way the employees will understand is necessary. You must explain the consequences involved in any employee not complying with the regulations and safety standards. Be sure each employee understands and agrees to abide by all safety standards and regulations. Perhaps you will consider having the employees help determine what those consequences will be. Offering bonuses or other rewards for employees who observe the regulations and safety standards could provide motivation and lead to increased safety.

Now that the regulations have been identified and explained, you must implement them in order to create a safer manufacturing plant. This requires working with the employees to ensure they have the proper safety equipment (hard hats, protective gloves, safety goggles, etc.) needed to perform their job responsibilities safely. This safety equipment should be checked periodically to make sure it is still working correctly. It is not enough to just have the safety equipment. Employees must use the equipment, and more importantly, they must use it correctly. They need to be taught how and why to use the safety equipment in the proper manner. Executives and management must also be sure to follow all safety regulations, including properly wearing protective safety equipment, when in the manufacturing plant.

Conditions in the manufacturing plant must also be set up and regulated correctly. Recognizing potential problem areas can help avoid future safety issues. Employees can help in keeping items in their proper places and reporting any safety concerns to their superiors. Assigning specific employees to help look for safety problems can greatly help in making a safer and more effective manufacturing plant.

Working with employees to keep up with current technology can help to increase the safety in the manufacturing plant. Implementing new safety technology cannot only improve the safety in the manufacturing plant, but also can decrease costs of maintaining safety standards in the plant. Engineers can work with financial executives help to determine what new methods could best benefit the company in safety and cost.

Frequent checks of machinery and possible safety hazards are necessary to ensure continued safety in the manufacturing plant. Qualified employees can be used to perform these inspections, or outside professionals can be brought in to make inspections. Inspections should be done often and should be documented immediately and correctly. Hiring outside inspectors can be beneficial as they can provide fresh eyes to give insight and recommendations for working with your employees for a safer manufacturing plant.