With so many industries using industrial safety supplies, it’s not hard to imagine how many millions of lives the protective gear has saved over the years. That’s why it is such an integral part of everyday life in so many businesses and workplaces and is such an important part of workplace health and safety.
Most industries are required by law to provide and enforce the use of safety equipment supplies, this may be easier said than done sometimes. That’s why we’ve gone over a few tips, tricks and tactics on how to communicate with your fellow employees about the importance of wearing and using safety equipment supplies.
Most people are forgetful creatures so when a rule is put in place but hardly ever reinforced, things tend to get a bit sloppy. So if you decide to put policies in place that state the importance of wearing safety equipment, you should remember to enforce them and remind your employees of the importance of wearing such items every day. If you do this on a daily basis, the more routine and regular it will be for everyone in the working environment and less of them are likely to forget. It only takes one mistake for a serious injury or fatality to occur, so make sure to regularly check up on employees to make sure they are using their equipment correctly and regularly.
Make sure that the equipment you do ask your employees to use is actually easy for them to use, as well as being easy to maintain and replace. Cleaning your equipment and maintaining it will usually fall on the employee as part of their job, so make sure you choose equipment that will make this hassle free. If it is possible for the type of work you do, purchase disposable equipment to eliminate this process altogether. This makes replacements the only thing you need to worry about, but keep in mind if you choose not to use disposable equipment, you have to make sure that you can easily replace non-disposable equipment as well.
To be able to provide your employees with the most comfortable and easy to use equipment it is necessary that you communicate to your employees about their concerns and take on board whatever suggestions they might have regarding their safety equipment. They are the ones that will have to wear it every day so make sure you include them in the decision of what safety equipment you will be providing. You can even ask them to go over safety products catalog and mark equipment they believe suitable. Listening to your employees can make a huge difference when it comes to their cooperation in wearing safety equipment in the workplace.
Educate your staff on workplace health and safety. When your employees fully understand why they should be wearing their safety equipment, they are more likely to want to wear it without complaints. Make sure to go over all the possible scenarios that could happen in your workplace and how the equipment they must wear now will help protect them in different situations. Having your employees understand the difference and how important safety equipment is will make a world of difference.
Like any good leader, you should practice what you preach, it is a sure fire way to motivate your employees and lead them into doing the same thing you are. All eyes are on you, so if you aren’t going to wear safety gear your employees probably won’t either. It’s basic human instinct to doubt someone who will try to enforce rules that they don’t follow themselves so keep that in mind when you are trying to raise the standard of safety in the workplace.
