While most employers are vigilant in ensuring workplace safety, says Helen Darling (left), president of the National Business Group on Health, sometimes it can fall off the radar for employers that don't deal with it on a daily basis.
For industries such as agricultural and trucking, workplace safety may seem second nature, but it isn't always on the forefront for employers that are in an office environment. That's a mistake, though, because hazards still exist. A safety hazard can be as simple as a slippery floor on a snowy or rainy day, and every employer should be aware of how this affects the workplace.
Improving employee health should be considered when evaluating workplace safety because it affects employee productivity, Darling says. No matter what type of work an employee does, if that person is not healthy, it affects the amount of work that can be produced. Healthy employees are more likely to stay healthy on the job, and they typically do not miss as much work. When healthy employees are out, they are also usually return to work much quicker than unhealthy employees.
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"If you're suffering or in pain, you simply can't give the job your best," Darling says. "In terms of safety, if you're not healthy, you could be more likely to become ill or injured on the job than people who are fit."
This is especially true in hazardous work environments, Darling says. For instance, if a truck driver is not well and has to be on medication, it could cause that truck driver to become drowsy at the wheel, which can clearly make for a dangerous situation.
By having healthy employees who avoid accidents or injuries, this can also impact an employer's bottom line, Darling adds. Health care costs are constantly rising, and those work-related injuries must be covered by the employer. However, if an employer can effectively reduce the number of injuries, those pricey claims can be reduced.
"Frequently, we help senior management understand how important health improvement is," Darling says. "Otherwise, they might think that is any of their business, but it's because it's a safety issue."
To help employers promote a healthy work environment, communication is a key element, Darling says. Specifically, signage is an effective communication vehicle, particularly if it can measure how many days have passed since the last accident. By reporting that fact, the work force is constantly reminded of possible safety issues, which personalizes the message and adds a sense of accountability.
"Constant reinforcement is of the most importance because one of the things you don't want to have happen is for people to lose focus on safety," Darling says. "You want people to feel like we're all in this together, and we need to protect each other and help each other."
Ultimately, a safe work environment is necessary for compliance, controlling costs and productivity, but worker safety is also needed for employee retention, Darling says. Providing a safe work environment is the employer's responsibility, and employees are likely to look elsewhere for employment if they feel they are not protected. If an employer wants to retain its top talent, it must make workplace safety a priority, no matter the industry.
"Safety really should be one of the core values of every workplace," Darling says. "Frankly, if you're in a workplace where safety is not a core value and you have a choice, you may not want to be working there."
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