A safety policy should first adhere to safety standards set by the regulatory agency. Next, actual safety risks in the workplace should be determined and addressed in the policy. The regulations that are handed down are minimal. They address common concerns in the industry but they cannot possibly apply to every workforce because each workplace has unique risks. The safety managers should take into consideration the unique needs of their company in order to ensure a workforce free from accidents.
After the regulations and risks are determined, contacting an industrial supply or workwear company will help in determining what safety equipment and workwear clothing will be required by the policy. In most situations, the company provides mandatory safety gear to their employees while others require the employees industrial equipments suppliers to provide it. If it is provided by the company, the workers are more likely to use it like they should. It is a good idea to check the budget when determining what gear will be included in your policy. Better yet, always budget for the safety gear that will be needed. That is not a good place to save money.
When you purchase safety equipment and workwear clothing, it is a good idea to buy in bulk. That way, replacements supply graph will be on hand when you need it and you are likely to get discounts from the company on large orders.
Now that you know the regulations, the risk and the mandatory equipment and supplies, you need to set milestones for safety training. Some companies have well thought out policies and supply the gear needed, but they fail to train the employees how to use the equipment or the necessity of it. The policy should include regular safety training or company meetings to refresh the training.
There is one more thing that should be included in the policy. That is to address disciplinary matters related to safety violations. A safety policy is only good if it is enforced. Many workplace accidents are due to the workers not using the equipment or safety gear that is provided by the company. This may be due to lack of training, absence of thoughts of necessity and so forth; however, some employees will just refuse to use it like they should because of inconvenience. These employees present a great risk to themselves, your company and their coworkers. In situations like these, discipline is required to ensure that the workforce is safe and not subject to unfounded workplace related injuries and illnesses. This discipline measures should be stated in the policy and taught in the safety training.
