What is a Safe Workplace – and why is it so important?

How many risks are there in the workplace and does a totally safe workplace actually exist? Is it enough to have warning tape on forklifts, should there be specific lines on the floor indicating where forklifts may drive, or should ceiling lights be illuminated to ensure safety?

Some companies consider warning tape to be sufficient, whereas other argue that ceiling lights, along with other measures, should be used. The question then is: how much should you invest into safety at the workplace? The answer differs from company to company. Standards exist, of course, but on the whole, companies are individually responsible for ensuring that their staff have a safe workplace.

Being prepared before an accident occurs

I have been at numerous workplaces in my life and have seen a lot of different things when it comes to the safety of staff. One common theme has been that when an accident occurs, safety measures are always introduced as a direct reaction at workplaces where there may be a lack of knowledge about what could constitute a direct hazard to the staff. Attempting to then change focus and consider all aspects of safety can be difficult and time consuming.

When people come to work, they should feel safe while performing their jobs.  Safety measures are often associated with having to do something inconvenient, but this is not necessarily the case. Safety solutions exist that, for example, make a warehouse look more complete. Rear mesh on pallet racks or machine guards around robots can make passers-by feel safe, while also making the site look ‘professional’. Routine checks in warehouses with a lot of traffic and high racks are important for keeping up work morale and for ensuring a safe work environment.

Safety an important factor

I used to work as an industry sales representative and I spoke with many customers who frequently wanted to get started early in terms of safety for their warehouses, robotic workshops, conveyor systems, and so on. Many of the people I spoke with were determined to have something in place before an accident occurred. Both to keep up morale at the workplace and to make the people who worked there feel comfortable.

There are many steps involved when it comes to simplifying people’s everyday lives, and safety undoubtedly plays a major role. It is something that I place considerable focus on in my day-to-day work with project and technical support. Many different factors come into play when designing a layout that needs to be cost effective, functional and as safe as possible, but that’s the reason I love what I do.

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Garantell