Ensuring safety procedures are current is essential for all employers. It allows companies to act proactively, supporting the well-being of their workforce through right-action and preparation.
While many companies focus on policy updates annually, it’s typically best to evaluate safety procedures in accordance with specific triggering events. If you want to keep yours up to date, here are some tips that can help.
Review Guidance from Authoritative Organizations
If the pandemic taught the world one thing, it’s that situations can shift and evolve with surprising speed. COVID-19-related policies changed whenever more information about the virus was gathered, allowing authoritative organizations to release updated guidance designed to keep the population healthy.
While the pandemic is an extreme situation, it shows how critical guidance from authoritative agencies can be in the realm of safety. By signing up for newsletters and following social media accounts associated with organizations that focus on safety – including the CDC, OSHA, NIOSH, CSB, DOT, and any other relevant resource based on your industry – you can learn about new risks as they emerge. Plus, you can receive guidance from experts, allowing you to adjust your safety procedures quickly and efficiently.
Use Accident, Injury, Near-Miss, and Safety Reports as Guides
In some cases, accident, injury, near-miss, and safety reports can provide companies with a wealth of information. At times, they make identifying flaws in current policies and procedures easier, as there was an incident tied to an issue.
Whenever a report is received, review it carefully. Determine what the root cause of the incident was, and consider what steps could prevent something similar from occurring in the future. You may find that changing a procedure, updating employee safety training, upskilling, or other measures lead to a safer environment. If so, consider instituting those safety procedure updates.
Identify New Workplace Equipment and Environment Changes
The introduction of new equipment, floor layout alterations, procedure changes, or environmental shifts could all make safety procedure updates necessary. Usually, existing policies and processes are based on the workplace as it was, not as it is after a change occurs. By updating procedures, you can account for any adjustments in the environment, ensuring employees know how to safely navigate what’s essentially new terrain.
Invite Input from Employees Regularly
Often, the first group to notice shortcomings in many procedures isn’t management; it’s the employees. They’re the ones who have to make use of the processes, giving them first-hand knowledge of existing and new risks to their health.
Since that’s the case, inviting their input regularly can be a great way to keep procedures up to date. You can tap into their expertise and learn about hazards they’ve encountered, creating opportunities to change the status quo and create a safer environment.
Contact GoSource Today
Ultimately, all of the tips above can help your company keep safety procedures up to date. If you’d like to learn more about workplace safety, the team at GoSource wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
