Manufacturing environments come with certain risks, particularly to employees. As a responsible employer, finding ways to reduce those risks is essential, allowing you to care for the health and well-being of your workforce. If you want to mitigate manufacturing risks quickly and efficiently, here are eight tips that can help.
1. Offer Ample Training
Training is a critical component of the safety equation. By teaching employees how to use equipment, navigate hazards, report safety risks, and take similar steps, they’re prepared to do their job while minimizing risk.
In most cases, there should be several training triggers. Along with onboarding and annual training, conduct more sessions whenever something changes in the environment, such as the introduction of a new procedure or piece of equipment. That ensures critical instructions are provided at the right time, improving overall safety.
2. Model the Right Behavior
Typically, employees take cues about what is and isn’t allowed in the workplace from supervisors and managers. If leaders in the organization openly cut corners while working, the odds that employees will follow suit go up dramatically. That’s why modeling the proper behavior is essential, ensuring workers know what’s expected in the workplace.
3. Have Strict Formal Procedures
In manufacturing environments, having strict formal procedures that improve safety is essential. For example, there should be clear lockout/tagout processes for equipment that’s malfunctioning or in need of maintenance or repair. Having explicit instructions regarding safety guards is another must. Couple the safety procedures with well-described consequences for failing to follow the requirements, too, ensuring employees know what can occur if they shirk these responsibilities.
4. Create a Safety Committee
Since employees are an excellent source of information about workplace risks, create a safety committee to give them a clear point of contact. With that, information will flow more freely, as employees may feel more comfortable airing their concerns to peers instead of managers.
5. Conduct Safety Drills
Having a plan for navigating unexpected conditions, like a natural disaster or fire, is essential. However, the strategy is only useful if the employees know how to follow it instinctively. Then, if the worst occurs, they can act quickly, often without much conscious thought.
Ideally, you want to make responses to an emergency automatic. The best way to engrain the right habits is through safety drills. By practicing responses to potential events, employees get comfortable with the procedures, allowing them to be ready should the worst occur.
6. Have Surprise Safety Audits
Safety audits are a great way to identify potential hazards, but they’re often more effective if employees and floor supervisors aren’t aware one is coming. It allows you to assess the state of the environment based on how workers leave it, not the way they set it up if they know an inspection is scheduled. As a result, you’ll have an easier time identifying issues that need addressing.
7. Reward Safe Behavior
Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool, allowing you to encourage employees to make smarter choices. By rewarding safe behavior, you can create a culture that prioritizes safety.
8. Hire Safety-Conscious Candidates
During the hiring process, make sure to include questions relating to workplace safety. That helps you separate safety-conscious candidates from less-aware job seekers, increasing the odds that your new hire won’t introduce unnecessary risk.
Get in Touch with Us Today
Ultimately, all eight of the tips above can help you mitigate manufacturing risks. If you’d like to learn more, the team at GoSource wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
