How to Control Workplace Hazards

Noise, heavy loads, chemicals, vibration, machinery, electricity, and even fellow workers; All of these elements found in workplaces can result in serious injury and workplace hazards. Knowing the devastating effects an injury or worse can have not only directly but indirectly on your business, all areas at risk of workplace hazards should be addressed when brainstorming effective ways to control hazards throughout your facility.

Once you have identified the hazardous areas around your workplace, finding a suitable means for controlling them will be easier. Performing an assessment on all positions held at your workplace will help you understand the tasks of your workers and where danger lies. Analyzing the risk of each workplace safety hazards found during your assessment will lead you to where to begin implementing controls first. While all workplace hazards should be addressed, ones that are most likely to cause harm, to the most amount of people, in the nearest future should be handled first.

After prioritizing your plan of attack now the real hard work starts. How exactly to handle these hazards without seriously compromising your business productivity and output? The hierarchy of controls is a good place to begin. Ask yourself:

• What kind of control will help with each workplace hazard?
• Are hazard communication labels needed to better address the problem?
• Where should controls be used? The source, the path, the worker?
• Are there any commonly used solutions like hazard signs to combat a particular hazard?
• What is the most effective, easiest to install control, and will it work?

While it seems like a daunting undertaking, many facilities already have procedures in place for more if not all workplace hazards. however every playbook needs a refresher more often than not. Don’t wait until enforcers of OSHA workplace standards come in and cite where your disparities lie; a much less costly alternative is doing it yourself. Don’t have time, call on an outside vendor to help assess and work with you to put together a workplace safety solution that works for your facility. Once you get the process started you’ll quickly realize it isn’t as bad as it seems, and when your employees feel safe and satisfied their work will show it.

For more information on hazard warning signs, prevention and control click here