Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash
Safety is a crucial measure for all businesses throughout the year. But, once the temperature drops and the weather becomes less predictable, there are bigger chances for accidents. As a leader, the onus is on you to protect your employees during winter. So, whether you run an office-based business or work in construction, here are four ways to make this possible.
Invest in Sufficient Heating
Your staff will not focus and work to their best ability if they are shivering throughout the day. Sufficient heating should be the first thing you think about when ensuring employee safety, especially if they are required to be in the office throughout the winter.
Utilizing professionals like Industrial Heating will help your organization design a well heated and ventilated workspace.
Most officers should have a central heating system, but this may not be possible if you work in a warehouse or garage. Space heaters are a decent solution to this. However, you will need to consider the additional cost of running them.
Identify Risks at the Workplace
All workplaces come with risks, and during winter, you will need to reevaluate what risks are most common. For construction sites, damp surfaces and visibility could impact worker safety. In an office environment, the steps towards the office doors could be covered in ice, increasing the risk of slipping.
You should also consider the state of the parking lot. Extreme weather can cause structural issues that can damage their car or cause injury. You don’t want to wait until this happens before making changes, though, so seek out services such as K&E Flatwork to repair the concrete and ensure better employee safety before they make it into the office.
Be Flexible With Attendance
It’s safe to say that no one likes to commute in bad weather. As the working world has evolved over the past 12 months, you can be more flexible with attendance if your staff’s commute is too dangerous.
We already know the benefits that you can enjoy when enabling people to work from home. So, if your business allows for this, encourage your employees to stay at home to work. This will eliminate the risk of accidents when driving to work and going home.
Don’t Be Afraid to Reschedule Projects
You might have a range of projects that you need to complete as quickly as possible. However, these projects should always come second to employee safety. If the harsh weather does not allow your team to carry out the work on these projects safely, do not be afraid to reschedule them until the weather is nicer.
While this might mean you fall behind, it is better than risking your employees’ health and safety by forcing them to work on something they are not comfortable doing.
Safety First
If you prove to your employees that you are putting their safety first, they will have more confidence in you as a leader and the company overall. Furthermore, making changes to projects and being flexible with working hours will keep morale up, as they will not feel that they are forced to do anything they consider dangerous. As many more accidents can occur during winter, you must find solutions to prevent them.