How To Eliminate Workplace Hazards With Effective Health & Safety Training
When you think of health and safety, you start visualizing a construction site. A place where workers have to wear safety equipment while operating dangerous machinery. This might be your go-to thought, and not an office full of desks and computers. But the reality is that accidents can happen in any workplace. That’s why all employees need adequate health and safety training to stay safe while at work.
Below, we talk about the importance of equipping your employees with the skills they need to stay healthy in the workplace. Discover what OHSA requires offices to put in place and the benefits that your business will receive.
Health & Safety Training: The Only Way To Protect Your Employees
As an employer, it is your responsibility to create a safe workplace environment for your staff. It is also your responsibility to onboard new employees by instructing them on the correct way to perform in a healthy manner.
According to the National Safety Council, every 7 seconds a worker is injured on the job and in most cases, these incidents could have been avoided. Workplace hazards are everywhere in the office – poor workstation ergonomics, insufficient lighting, electrical hazards and random acts of violence.
Workplace health and safety training equips your employees with the knowledge they need to carry out their work safely and in a manner that protects the safety of their coworkers too. Without this basic understanding, employees are at a greater risk of injuries and in some cases death, depending on the industry you work in.
But this form of learning and development training should never be a ‘one and done’ event. Regular refresher courses are needed to keep both new and existing employees up to date and compliant. This and an in-detail and effective workplace safety training plan are the only way you’ll be able to protect your employees.
What Are The OHSA Requirements?
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) defines the roles and responsibilities of various workplace parties in maintaining a safe work environment. One of the ways that employers must meet legal requirements to protect their staff is by providing training. However, these aren’t the only elements required by the OHSA. A company must also:
- Fill gaps in training requirements
- Encourage employee participation
- Create processes to identify and remove workplace hazards
As we talked about before, regardless of your industry you will need to receive adequate training. However, there are some industries that are required by law to comply with workplace safety training such as construction, healthcare and the industrial sector.
The Benefits Of Providing Safety Training To Employees
While health and safety training in the workplace is a requirement by law, it undoubtedly offers your business numerous benefits. Proper workplace safety training should equip your staff with all the skills and knowledge they need to identify and eliminate workplace hazards.
Below are some of the main benefits that you and your staff will receive:
- Reduce workplace accidents – This will individuals identify risks adequately, therefore, being able to eliminate them. This will reduce the number of workplace injuries and can protect the company from facing legal costs.
- Boosts employee morale – Staff that has received the appropriate training often tend to feel more satisfied with their employers which leads to increased employee morale and retention. Those leaders that take the time to invest in their employees’ safety are rewarded with loyal team members.
- Increases productivity – A safer work environment means that staff are able to focus more on their tasks without having to worry about their own personal safety. This not only increases productivity levels but also job satisfaction.
Is Your Workplace Health & Safety Training Compliant?
Here at the Training Company, we can provide your employees with the health and safety courses that are required to keep them healthy and safe at all points during the year. To hear more about the courses that we offer through our Learning Management System, get in contact with our team today.