Nine Tips for Workplace Risk Considerations

Tip 1: Have an appropriate first aid kit in your workplace

Don't just buy your 1st aid kit from the supermarket or discount chain chemist. Make sure that it can cope with the types of injuries expected in your workplace.

Tip 2: Create an Injury Reporting card

Put in your first aid kit a laminated card with your workplace address and directions for any ambulance officers in case they ask and new staff dont know.

Also include any important questions to help remind staff of what they need to ask the injured person.

Tip 3: Keep your first aid kit up to date

Every month check that your kit is still there and all the items inside a current and replaced if used.

Tip 4: Look at your workplace kitchen for hazards every lunchtime

The kitchen is the highest source of dangerous goods being stored incorrectly or chemical bottles without labels sitting on the bench near food prep areas.

Stay on top of this area, especially the floor for slip and trip hazards. Think about how many times a day a foot crosses that floor and now you understand how risk is about the frequency of events being as important as the consequence.

Tip 5: Spend the money to have more employees trained as first aiders

Most injuries can have their severity reduced by quick response by trained first aid staff. Ensure that all the resources are there for them to do their treatments.

Have a list of contact names and numbers for first aiders on duty in each area.

Tip 6: Pretend you cannot see

Look at an area and imagine what it would be like to walk or move around in the area if you had impaired eyesight. Are there corners of furniture sticking out or plants in the way that people are always dodging around.

Tip 7: Ask your staff "What would you do if... ?"

At random times of the day approach a different employee and ask them a question related to workplace safety and test their knowledge. Any areas of weakness, explain immediately, and retest again later. Keep testing all your employees.

Tip 8: What is not seen or heard is not reported

The biggest area of risk management and managers have a difficult time getting employees to report 'near misses'. These are the incidents that would have an injury or damage except for luck. Because no one was injured, employees think they don't have to report it.

Unfortunately for every near miss not reported is a chance that a real injury will occur from the same incident the next time, even a fatality.

Ask you employees every week, did they nearly have an accident anywhere and what happened.

Tip 9: Don't rely on employees signing documents

If part of your business risk system is reliant on employees signing a form or log, have other backup systems to catch potential risks.

It is well known that employees get busy and forget, or don't see the importance in signing every time they enter an area. They do this task dozens of times a day and you will end up with incomplete or incorrectly filled out forms.

Try to use another safety system instead of signing where possible, like smart card access systems, or lockout systems needed a person to witness their entry or use of equipment.