Workplace safety is crucial for the proper growth & development of any industry or organization. Annual maintenance of your workplace in Dubai can help curb a lot of work hazards before they even arise. It’s pivotal to acknowledge that ensuring the safety of the workplace can boost an organization’s efficiency. The employees & the workplace are two of the most integral parts of an industry.
Therefore, it is necessary to make sure the workplace is free from potential hazards.
What is Workplace Safety?
A workplace contains a good deal of machinery, tools & other articles that may pose threats to the workers’ safety. Workplace safety aims to safeguard the employees from these potential threats. Policies, measures, behaviors & preventive approaches fall under workplace safety regulations.
Ensuring a safe workplace is crucial for increasing productivity. An unhealthy & risky workplace can spread a bad vibe. As a result, you may encounter a deterioration in the final outputs.
That said, you need to assure your employees of the minimum amount of risk levels by adopting effective workplace safety measures. You need to make sure the workplace is also clean by hiring a professional office cleaning company. If it is a woodworking or construction project then professional woodworker Tom Bradly recommends using modern dust collectors.
The below-mentioned hazards & controlling tips can help you to manage such unexpected situations.
1. Machinery & Equipment
Those workplaces that depend on heavy machinery like transportation or construction face these hazards more often and are one of the most common types of workshop hazards.
The accidents occur mainly due to the lack of knowledge, inadequate training, improper guideline, inexperience, faulty machinery, etc.
If you want to prevent such hazards, you need to provide PPE for all workers. You need to ensure proper training & guidelines. Also, you need to carry out risk assessments regularly & get rid of faulty machinery as soon as possible
2. Electrical Threats
Electrical hazards are the most common ones that leave devastating impacts on the victims’ lives. However, these accidents take place in three ways, namely electrical shock, burn & fire.
An operator gets an electrical shock when he/she comes in close contact with any faulty wires resulting in electricity passing through the body. In the worst case, the victim may die from cardiac arrest.
Electrical burns result because of the electrical shock on the victim’s body. These wounds are fatal & can be internal or external.
Electrical fire occurs when a loose connection or faulty wire comes in contact with a flammable substance like wood shavings or cotton.
A thorough weekly inspection is essential to determine if there are any uninsulated, loose, faulty wires or connections to tackle such unwanted incidents. Once you find any, replace it immediately. Also, make sure of the complete isolation of the electrical tools before using them.
3. Toxic Chemicals
Most workshops frequently use some kind of chemicals. However, if the chemicals are toxic & not softened enough, they can raise significant health risks. The effects of these chemicals build up gradually.
They have a long-term adverse impact on the body too. Proper preventive measures are a must if you want to ensure safety among these toxic chemicals.
Different types of chemicals impact our health differently. For instance,
Carcinogen
Carcinogenic chemicals contain harmful substances that promote cancer. Asbestos is one of the most used chemicals in the industry that have carcinogens.
Sensitizer
These chemicals trigger allergic reactions upon exposure to the body.
Corrosive
Hydrochloric acids have corrosive nature & cause irreversible bodily harm.
To prevent chemical health hazards, you need to establish Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) wearing culture. Also, you need to limit the number of employees who regularly expose them to toxic chemicals.
4. Fire Hazard
Fire accidents are the deadliest of all hazards. They not only disrupt an organization’s business but also snatch many precious lives. That said, it’s a must to know what triggers these fire accidents & what initiatives work efficiently.
The main reason for fire accidents is the faulty electric wires & equipment. If the workplace is full of explosive materials, it raises the risk bar significantly. Poor ventilation accelerates the spreading of fire too.
Handling combustible materials for production is another potential fire hazard threat. Last, negligence can often cost big time.
To prevent fire hazards, stop overloading power circuits. Introduce as many fire exits as possible. Schedule fire drills regularly. Install fire alarms & fire extinguishers. Remove loose or faulty wires. Avoid placing flammable materials near the ignition source.
5. Ergonomic Hazards
Ergonomic means your body position while doing a specific task. If you keep doing the same work continuously, after a certain period, your body will start to show the harmful effects. Back pain, joint pain, posture, etc. result from ergonomic hazards.
The easiest solution to tackle such problems is to introduce varieties. Taking a regular break from work can also stimulate body movement & proper functioning.
6. Biological Hazards
Most people overlook the grave threats these hazards possess. Blood or other bodily fluids are known as biological hazards. Also, viruses, fungus, insect bites, parasites, etc. fall under this category.
If any of your employees have flu, mumps, or measles, it can quickly spread. Even if you prevent close contact between workers, the chance is insects may transmit those viruses through utensils or other ways.
That said, you need to introduce strict use of masks & gloves. Also, schedule deep cleaning & disinfecting times regularly.
7. Noise
Noise hazards can severely affect your eardrums in the long run. You may get used to working in a noisy environment.
But that doesn’t mean you are out of danger. Eventually, you will face hearing issues. If you see people raising their voices while talking, even if they are just a yard away, the situation has reached an alarming state.
Although you can’t replace the heavy machinery altogether, you can take effective steps. Replace the squawking tools. Next, introduce the ear-protection system & train the workers how to use these properly.
8. Trips & Falls
Although these may not look dangerous, they can impact badly. Serious injuries may occur from these trips or falls. You may differ that it should be the employee’s responsibility to look before the leap. But certain things can trigger these trips or falls to happen regularly.
If the workplace’s floor remains wet or slippery, people will trip eventually. Therefore, instant cleaning of water or spills is crucial to managing these cases. You may encourage them to wear slip-resistant shoes for further aid.
Final Thoughts
Workshop hazards are part of the organization’s adverse situations. However, these effective measures can impede the happening of such incidents drastically.
You can book a number of services on ServiceMarket by downloading the app and hiring an electrician, handyman or even getting annual maintenance contracts to prevent any workplace hazard in the long run.
