Maintaining a healthy and safe workplace not only helps to make sure everyone goes home safely every night, it also is good for business by ensuring staff are happy, productive and have less downtime.

Here are a few simple steps to help make your business safer.

1. Maintain a clean work area. Not only will you remove many hazards from a work area by keeping it clean, but you will also provide a more productive work environment.
2. Use guards and engineering solutions wherever possible instead of relying on personal protective equipment (PPE). Find a way to prevent the exposure in the first place. Your workplace will be much more productive if staff are comfortable.
3. Give clear work instructions. Make sure your staff know the right way to do what is expected of them. Ensure all safety instructions and procedures are available, easy to understand and well communicated.
4. Keep things in perspective. Hazards may be limitless, so focus on the most likely risks first. Don’t dwell on worst case scenarios but focus on what is most likely to occur. Start by focusing your energy in preventing your most common incidents.
5. If a machine is becoming unsafe, shut it down and lock it out before someone gets hurt.
6. Maintain the machinery in good working order. Many times employees get into dangerous situations by having to compensate for a machine defect or wear. In the case of wear, it may have occurred so gradually that people start to think it is normal. A strong preventive maintenance program makes for a strong safety program.
7. Avoid unnecessary hazards. Look for new materials or equipment that can eliminate the hazards you are exposed to.
8. Never walk in front of a forklift, tractor, or any other heavy machine; the operator may not have seen you and even if he has, there’s always room for error. Ensure Exclusion Zones are in place.