Remote operations
Marc Prempain
15 April 2024
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Safety hazards exist in all industries and vary depending on personnel job descriptions and responsibilities. Identifying the examples of unsafe working conditions can help increase employee awareness and make it easier to control or prevent their occurrence.
Increased awareness reduces the risks of employee injuries, potential damage to company equipment, and fatal accidents. It also reduces the downtime that comes with work-related injuries for both the workers and their employers.
Read on to learn more about worker safety and how remote inspection services can reduce work-related injuries.
Unsafe working conditions are situations where the work environment is dangerous or hazardous to the health or safety of on-site employees. These conditions often prevent workers from completing their missions. As a result, these safety hazards can bring losses, damage equipment, lead to a loss of revenue, or cause injuries to self and co-workers. Hazardous work environments include elements such as:
• Lack of protective equipment
• Lack of employee training
• Using old, worn-out tools
• Failing to use or upkeep safety devices
• Leaving obstacles in worksites with complex machinery
• Allowing too many people on-site at once
• Using improper lifting techniques
The presence of unsafe working conditions can have a significant social impact on a company.
Employees and employers both have a role to play in keeping the workplace safe. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA), employers must comply with several work-related safety and health standards to guarantee a healthy work environment.
Safe work practices involve clear instructions and processes on how to navigate potentially hazardous worksites. This also includes ensuring that workers have access to correct and well-maintained personal protective equipment and tools to complete their work orders. When problems do happen, safe worksites will have procedures in place to react to whatever situation arises. By implementing various safety and security measures, companies can protect employees from injuries when at work, while also helping ensure the long-lasting life of their machines through proper upkeep.
Many industrial accidents occur due to a failure to improve hazardous work environments, e.g., failing to fix defective machines. Defective equipment comes in varying forms and can include:
• Oil rig equipment
• Hand tools used in hammering
• Construction equipment
• Office equipment
• Industrial equipment
The presence of defective equipment in a workplace can lead to many problems such as facial and eye injuries.
Workplace congestion is a serious hazard that normally occurs due to poor planning by the supervisors and management. The workspace needs to grow at the same rate as the company. As such, the company should find newer and modern facilities as it grows in size.
Congestion at the workplace may also arise when a company dispatches too many workers to a single site. Having too many people in a single location will reduce the amount of space available, making it harder for the workers to move and work freely.
Supervisors can eliminate congestion in the workplace using worker dispatch management tools.
The presence of a working warning system in a workplace can reduce the number of accidents taking place. An ideal warning system should include different types of warnings, from printed notices to recorded warnings installed as part of the company’s digitization process.
Additionally, the warning systems should indicate all the areas designated as hazardous. The signage in these areas should inform those passing through it or working in it about potential spills, the presence of heavy-duty machinery, and the location of alternative routes.
Providing early support when employees get injured will also help. For example, supervisors should reach out to employees exhibiting potential signs of injury or illness and take measures that can help them get better fast.
Even as the company continues to look into how it can use visual support to reduce dispatch work travel, it should also provide its people with adequate safety equipment. Employees need access to items that can help to keep them safe.
Access to personal protective equipment, for example, can go a long way in reducing staff emergencies throughout the company. Those working in the field will need access to hard hats, reflective clothing, and hard-soled shoes.
Cleaners need masks to protect them from irritation caused by inhaling disinfectants.
Failing to recognize the importance of the health and safety of your people will not only lead to workplace injuries, but also contribute to an increased turnover rate. Employee morale will begin to fall, and this will cause their productivity to decrease.
Learning to respect the health of employees and ensuring the business has the necessary safety guards will motivate them to work harder, increasing the employee retention rate. It also reduces the amount of downtime experienced due to a lack of personnel. Looking out for these 5 examples of unsafe working conditions will help employees be more productive, and reduce worksite accidents.
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