Whether you run a warehouse or an office, you need to consider workplace safety carefully. Not only is it ethically right to keep your employees safe, but it’s also legally important. If your business hasn’t spent time consider workplace safety, now is the time to do so. Here are 6 reasons why workplace safety is so important.
Corporate reputation / public relations improves
There are few things worse for a company’s reputation than an issue with workplace safety. If a disgruntled employee decides to oust a company after getting an injury, it could damage the company’s reputation. This will require the hiring of an expensive PR consultant and could result in the loss of clients and customers. It’s far better to be proactive about an issue like workplace compliance and ensure safety in the first place.
Injury
This should go without saying really. If you provide an unsafe place to work, employees are far more likely to get injured. Whether it’s slipping on a wet floor or being hit by something heavy, a workplace accident can cause all sorts of issues. First of all, if employees are getting injured, it will create an atmosphere of distrust in the workplace. Secondly, it could cause a lengthy and expensive legal battle, especially if you don’t have the right insurance. As an employer, it’s your job to ensure that employees have a safe place to carry out their daily duties.
Death
A workplace injury is bad. A workplace death is far worse. If an employee dies on the job due to an unsafe workplace, you are in a heap of trouble. Not only could you be personally liable for their death, but your premises will also shut down and the business will probably go under. That’s not to mention the ethical implications. No employee should die for their job and it’s important that this is avoided at all costs.
Corporate financial loss
If something goes wrong in the workplace and it’s because of a lack of workplace safety, you are likely to incur a corporate financial loss. At the very least, you will have to hire a legal team to sort the matter out in court. At the worst, you could end up paying expensive damages, court fees, and legal fees. Aside from ethical reasons, there are plenty of financial reasons why workplace safety is so crucial.
Property damage
It goes without saying that a company’s property isn’t as important as its employees. However, a lack of workplace safety could end up in property damage. For example, if there isn’t ample room in a warehouse for a forklift to operate, the driver could end up knocking over products and damaging them. A safe workplace is a more profitable one.
Worker productivity increases
Unsurprisingly, if workers feel safe, productivity increases. It makes sense when you think about it. With a strong workplace safety culture in place, employees have fewer distractions and can focus on their daily tasks. If they are worried about their safety, they won’t be thinking about work.
