Learning about a company’s workplace safety rules and regulations is often something new employees are exposed to early on in their official training. Safety regulations are important in any workplace to ensure the safety of all workers, whether it is an office building or a manufacturing plant. Safety regulations should not only be taught but also enforced on a regular basis by the company’s executives.
Purpose
The purpose of workplace safety and safety regulations is to provide a safe environment for all workers in a company. Although some companies only operate out of an office, others are operating out of warehouses or plants with fully functional equipment and machines. Even a small office must have safety measures in place, as an office fire can easily start and spread quickly in a small area filled with papers and electronics. Businesses will equipment must have extensive safety procedures in place to avoid personal harm or accidents on machines, as well as workplace accidents with chemicals or unpredictable substances, for example.
Benefits
One of the main benefits of establishing a safety system in the workplace is the comfort of all of the employees in the company. Some employees might feel more secure in the workplace knowing that safety measures and regulations have been established and reinforced to protect them. Another major benefit of workplace safety is the reputation the business will get, as it trains and reinforces employee safety and knowledge on a daily basis. This sort of reputation must be earned in a way of minor to no accidents in the workplace or the lack of pending lawsuits against the business in regards to workplace safety or accidents, for example.
Teaching Safety
At the time of hire, employees usually undergo a training program that teaches all of the necessary procedures and policies in place in the business. Although the initial training might be extensive and include various tests and evaluations, the employee should be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis to ensure the information stays fresh and new for the workers.
Read More: Workplace Safety Requirements
Improving and Upholding Safety Regulations
Although the employees have a responsibility of keeping the training information fresh and new as they complete work on a daily basis, the company also has a responsibility of updating and maintaining safety regulations when updates are available. For example, if the company has purchased a new piece of equipment that will improve the business’ productivity, a safety manual must be completed, along with theoretical and practical training for employees. The business should fully train its employees in new equipment before it is used to produce products.
References
Writer Bio
Based in Toronto, Mary Jane has been writing for online magazines and databases since 2002. Her articles have appeared on the Simon & Schuster website and she received an editor's choice award in 2009. She holds a Master of Arts in psychology of language use from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.