As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing is among the top three most potentially dangerous occupations, with 395,300 workplace injuries and 35,000 workplace illnesses annually. Other highlights of the most recent BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, published in November 2019, include:
- Twenty-six percent of all non-fatal workplace injuries resulted from slips, trips, and falls.
- Twenty-four percent of all workplace fatalities resulted from motor vehicle accidents.
- 229,000 workers were forced to miss time from their jobs due to injuries from contact with objects or equipment.
And many, if not all, of these unfortunate incidents, could have been prevented, had the right manufacturing safety measures been in place, understood and enforced.
Never cut corners on safety training.
Stay laser-focused on safety training, even when it means taking your highest-producing employees off the job and risking missing the day’s target. The cost would pale in comparison to that of a life-altering, life-threatening, or fatal accident.
- Rigorous training helps ensure that all safety mechanisms and steps are in place, clearly understood, and practiced without exception.
- There should be no question in anyone’s mind what to do in case of an emergency.
Implement safer practices and processes.
Set and adhere to strict safety rules throughout your plant, office and support areas, and the factory floor. Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance and make any needed improvements.
- Safety communication should be a leading priority. Utilize whatever methods and platforms effectively reach your employees. These may include bulletin boards, posters, banners, newsletters, an online portal, a health and safety handbook, and more – with your most effective strategy being a multi-media approach.
Ensure safety around hazardous materials.
Make sure your employees fully understand hazardous materials and their potential exposure risks. This includes the proper placing and storage of containers and packing items and clear and accurate labeling.
Maintain a safe environment.
No amount of training, communication, or awareness can help if the environment in which you work is fundamentally dangerous. Many solutions are simple; for example, covering up exposed wires, enforcing personal protective equipment rules, putting up signs near low beams, and practicing overall good housekeeping.
- Never before has proper air quality been more critical. Yet, historically, this has been one of the most overlooked aspects of workplace safety and a major contributor to chronic and acute health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a great source of related information, including updates pertinent to Covid-19.
At PrideStaff Modesto, we specialize in staffing and workforce development for the manufacturing and warehouse industries. We can help design and implement a safety training and continuous improvement strategy for your business. This includes the latest approaches to coronavirus and related pandemic health issues. Reach out to us now to learn more.
