Running a business encompasses a wide variety of tasks, but one of them is occupational health and safety. No organization is complete without properly assessing the risks and hazards their employees face, then effectively mitigating those risks and providing their employees with the safety measures required. 

Of course, all of that is a lot easier said than done. Businesses don’t have to guess, though. The International Labour Organization, in partnership with Occupational Health and Safety, has released detailed guidelines to assist owners. Here are ways companies can manage occupational health and safety the right way. 

Let Workers Participate

One of the best approaches to safety is including the workers in the process. The more they take part in organizing, planning, implementation, and evaluation, the better off any organization is. Meet with your staff as well as their safety and health representatives to create a comprehensive plan. 

Allowing your employees in on the process is an excellent way to ensure that all risks and hazards are addressed in a way that makes everyone feel safe in their working environment. If you don’t have a health and safety committee with representatives, then working with HR in conjunction with staff is an ideal solution. 

Proper Training

Having set guidelines is never enough. You’ll also need to ensure that you as well as your employees receive the proper training they need to fully understand workplace risks and safety measures. Never expect new hires to know the ropes, and don’t forget that even veteran staff can slip up. With proper training, everyone on-site is equipped with the competency to work safely in any environment. 

Be Prepared for Emergencies

Ask any wrongful death attorneys in the Bay Area, they’ll tell you it’s better to be safe than sorry.  Emergency prevention, being prepared, and having excellent responses to situations are one of the top ways to ensure occupational health and safety. 

Aside from proper training, you should also make sure that your staff takes part in regular and realistic practice. This is vital in ensuring they know what to do when disaster strikes. Rehearse your plans for emergency situations, make sure each aspect is crystal clear, and that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. 

Re-Evaluation

While your initial OHS review will help you evaluate risks and hazards, it never hurts to conduct your own periodic reevaluations. These will help you identify any changes that need to be made to your existing emergency plans as well as possible updates to safety equipment and guidelines. 

With reevaluations, you can catch potential hazards before a member of your staff does. This also helps keep you as well as your employees informed and accountable. Plus, it creates an excellent workplace culture where everyone cares for one another’s safety. 

By following these and other ILO-OHS guidelines, you can make sure that occupational health and safety is at the forefront of your organization as you create a quality working environment for each and every member of your staff.