What is a workplace risk assessment?

It’s a comprehensive study of all factors that pose a threat to the physical well-being of employees, supervisors and visitors in the areas where they transit.

A workplace risk assessment allows the implementation of security measures that eliminate or reduce risks, promoting the care and integrity of the workers’ health.

Protecting its employees is one of the most important aspects of a company, being a legal obligation in many countries.

Even when not imposed by legislation, a company that implements a number of safety procedures in order to keep its staff protected will obtain a number of significant benefits, including better work organization and increased productivity.

Similarly, it’ll be able to prevent the secondary consequences that often result from accidents such as damages, payment of penalties and loss of production.

In order to conduct a workplace risk assessment easily, we recommend following these five simple steps:

1. Hazard identification.

It is vital to determine all possible ways an accident could occur in all work areas. To do this, you must perform a thorough inspection of the company’s facilities.

Take into consideration your staff’s suggestions as they are familiar with the environment and working procedures, and they might have already identified specific risks in their activities. The manufacturers of the equipment, tools and products used in the company would probably also have safety recommendations which should not be neglected.
If need be, seek professional advice to correctly identify your workplace’s hazards.

2. Identification of potential victims.

While identifying potential hazards, you can also determine who could be affected and what kind of potential damage could suffer. This will help later to better establish priorities and find optimal solutions for each risk. Besides the magnitude of the possible injury, be sure to take into account the vulnerability of people who are in each workspace: consider the inexperienced personnel, the elderly, pregnant women and persons having disabilities.

3. Establishment of risk control measures.

After analyzing the hazards encountered, it will be time to define the security measures that will avoid as far as possible. There is a hierarchy of activities that will help you prioritize the procedures performed. If you are able to completely eliminate the hazard, apply. When this is not possible, prevent access to the danger zone when not needed. Develop safer working methods, minimizing exposure to any risk. Set first aid facilities and dispensaries if applicable. Finally, provide your personal protective equipment. Applying these measures, you will eliminate risks, reduce the probability or its impact minimized.

4. Assignment of responsibilities.

To ensure that the security measures in place are properly implemented, it is appropriate to assign responsibility accordingly. Those selected will be responsible for the implementation, monitoring and recording the progress made on security. Likewise, the time limits to be completed the work of implementing these measures will be defined. Rely on your team to plan the strategy to follow, defining priority activities for their risk and establishing the improvements that can be made immediately by its low cost and simplicity. They should also schedule a training course to inform workers about the security measures taken.

5. Scorekeeping, monitoring and periodic updating.

Written record all activities performed in the previous steps. After implementing risk control measures must monitor its effectiveness through regular inspections, worrying about update procedures as necessary. Try to be at all times at the forefront of security measures for optimal results.

The method presented is one of the most used by companies worldwide to implement its security measures, although there are other equally effective. The important thing is to carry out these procedures in the shortest possible time, with rigor and diligence, with the commitment of the entire company. Although those responsible for the implementation of security measures are employers, a risk assessment in the workspace is a task that must involve all stakeholders.

Workers are the engine of a company.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), they represent half the world’s population and are the major contributors to economic and social development.

That’s why security in the workplace is essential to ensure the welfare of workers and, therefore, the quality of service or end product that reaches the market.

It is important to consider the following:

1.“If you respect the importance of their work, they will probably return the favour,” said American writer Mark Twain. A company that cares about the health of its employees is a company that nurses its own subsistence. It is a causal relationship – the performance of its workers has a direct impact on productivity – since at the end of the day, without employees there is no business.

2. Accidents cause absenteeism. Every 15 Seconds, 153 workers have an accident around the world. Annually, there are more than 317 million accidents at work. These data from the WHO also reflect the cost involved in these adversities. The company not only faces the problem of having one less worker on the ground but it must also face legal consequences and potential damage to the reputation of its brand.

3. Prevention is key. Paying for a worker’s recovery or facing the costs of a lawsuit is a lot less profitable than a protection plan – the company will save on bonuses, compensations, lawyers, etc. Thus the employer must take steps to ensure the safety and health (OSH) of its workers. Ideally each occupational hazard -that is each potentially harmful event – have a plan of action to prevent accidents or reduce their implications.

4. Adequate safety measures also improve relationships in the company. A safe working environment – and an effective communication about the importance of creating a culture of prevention among all members of the company – will make them feel more comfortable and motivated when performing their tasks. This also leads to a lower staff turnover.

5. Positive reputation. Companies that invest in the safety of their employees enjoy a more positive public image. This is a determining factor when being compared to the competition for differentiation and it creates a good positioning in the market and in the mind of the consumer.

Looking after the safety of your workers is an investment, not an expense!

Claitec is committed to help our customers succeed in their goals and understands the importance that a safe environment has for worker’s performance. That’s why we develop innovative solutions that protect and improve their work environment.

There is no doubt that a company improves its performance when employees feel comfortable and at ease.

Safety and accident prevention are a key factor to guarantee employee comfort. As pedestrians are exposed to different risks – and Claitec is always one step ahead of the needs of our customers -, we have developed the following guidelines to improve their protection.

1. Sorting out warehouse traffic

First, the essentials.

The areas where pedestrians circulate must be clearly marked.

If possible, it is recommended that signals and crosswalks be painted on the floor or even better -that the space is enclosed by fences.

The premise is to improve the security of persons and buildings without increasing the complexities of everyday life.

Another simple way is to always separate vehicles from pedestrians.

How?

If the structure of the warehouse allows it, by simply placing separation barriers. Otherwise, this can be achieved by trying to prevent forklifts from going through areas where there is a high pedestrian activity.

2. Safety Equipment

Claitec’s range of products and solutions for industrial safety are made to match the demands of current technologies and the expectations of our customers.

Take the Pedestrian Alert System (PAS). When using forklifts, installing this system will help alert the driver of pedestrian proximity. This solution differs from others that do not discriminate between obstacles and people.

Another option is to use the Blue Safety Light.

The Blue Safety Light tackles a very frequent problem in factories and plants – poor visibility areas.

These device acts as a high luminosity beacon that alert workers circulating on foot before the arrival of the forklift.

It increases the level of prevention in these high-risk areas by equipping pedestrians with the T-10 warning system and reflective vests.

Other solutions include installing warning lights and using systems like the Blind Spot (BS).

The staff working at the warehouse also plays an important role in preventing accidents.

It is necessary to limit the speed of forklifts depending on the area in which they are in order to avoid the risk of collision with a pedestrian.

It helps to install curved mirrors in poorly lit areas.

3. Informing and teaching

As much as 16.7% of accidents that occur in the industry are caused by forklifts.

Both pedestrians and forklift operators must be informed about the risks involved in using these machines.

We therefore recommend doing a training course that enables them to avoid unnecessary problems in the future.