College is not cheap, and I have worked a lot of jobs to pay for it. When I look for a job, I look for a place that pays its employees well and offers a safe environment for them. Workplace safety is not a suggestion, it is a priority. Many employers and organizations are aware of the safety risks that their employees face but do not do enough to help them. If employers fail to follow state and federal regulations, it results in “death or injury to workers, or even to worksite visitors or passerby,” (Cogan Power, https://coganpower.com/blog/safety-rules-failure-accident/).
Workplace safety is important in each industry and health and safety are the key fact in order to promote wellbeing for employees and employers. It is the moral responsibility for companies to look after their employee’s safety.
I have experience in many different industries. All of the positions were very different, but they all provided a safe environment for my co-workers and me to work in. I worked as a server for a sports-themed restaurant during football season. The money was steady, and I was even able to cover rent on my own. As a server and hostess, I was responsible for cleaning up spills or messes on the floor. Slips and falls are a common mishap in every industry, but it is very common in bars. People spill their drinks or food and it is a hazard for employees as well as patrons. Hazardous materials served as a major risk when working at a restaurant or bar. Restaurant staff go in and out of the kitchen to get drinks, run food, and put dishes in the dishwasher. Common kitchen chemicals used to clean, such as ammonia, oven cleaners, and bleach are inhaled and can get restaurant staff sick because they are in contact with these chemicals for long periods of time. Cuts, wounds, and burns are common injuries because restaurant staff is also having to prepare and deliver hot food to guests. The first step to making any bar or restaurant safer is to prevent problems before they happen. Employees need to wear slip-resistant shoes to prevent any nasty slips and falls. Make sure that your bar or restaurant has enough wet floor signs and employees should address the spills, even after they are cleaned up. It is easy for employees to get burned in the kitchen, so require them to wear oven mitts when handling hot plates and heated cookware. To avoid cuts and wounds, also provide them with cut-resistant gloves to protect them. Make sure there are clear guidelines for staff when handling broken glass. Employees should be thoroughly trained in restaurant safety protocol. That includes both sanitation practices and food safety. Customize your training so employees know exactly what to do. The second step to making your bar safely is making sure that your restaurant equipment is safely operated. Make sure your appliances work correctly and avoid electrical hazards by keeping them away from wet areas and checking for frays, cracks, and other signs of damage. The third step to restaurant safety is to have first aid kits and protective equipment, just in case an accident does happen. It is better to have it and not to need it, then need it and not to have it (my dad’s motto!). The fourth step is to store everything, including cleaning supplies and other hazardous chemicals, in their original containers, and inform employees on where to find these things. The fifth and final step is to keep it up! Repetition may be annoying, but it can “help these simple accident prevention checks become ingrained in your restaurant’s culture,”(Farmers Insurance, https://www.farmers.com/learn/insurance-questions/how-to-improve-restaurant-safety/).
I also have experience working as an office assistant. I worked for an eyelash extension salon and a tax office for a few years. When I worked in an office, I did the same thing every day. I answered phones, organized paperwork, booked appointments, and answered client questions. It was a comfortable, safe environment, but there were still hazards to my job. The most common hazards that happen in an office are falls, eye strain, and ergonomic injuries. Falls are common due to the floors being wet, uneven, or cords being exposed in a walkway. I can admit that I have tripped a few ties due to the computer cords being in my way and I am thankful no one saw me fall flat on my face. The most common causes of office falls include “slipping on wet floors, using a chair instead of a ladder, tripping over loose carpeting, electrical cords…,” (Aftermath, https://www.aftermath.com/content/office-injury-statistics/). Ergonomic injuries seem rare because not that many people know what they are. Ergonomic injuries lead to nerve or tendon injuries or musculoskeletal strains. They are very common in the workplace because when you work in an office, you are seated for the majority of the day, following your daily routine. You may also get eye strain from working long hours in front of a screen. All of these are safety risks for office employees. Many offices provide their employees with benefits, but it is also important to provide them with an environment that knows how to handle these safety risks. The first step to dealing with these risks is to practice good housekeeping practices. By making sure that the office is clean and neat, you can eliminate most falls from happening. Make sure that electrical cords do not pose a tripping hazard. If you are unable to move it, install a new outlet, or use cord covering strips to secure it to the floor without taping it down or underneath the carpet. Clean up all spills and use signs to inform employees and clientele that the floor is wet. The next step to office safety is to allow employees to take necessary breaks. Ergonomic injuries and eye sprains happen after long work hours. Employees should be able to move around and focus their eyes on other things to reduce eye strain. The next step is to reduce stress in the office. Although it will not prevent a fall, it will help office employees to have clear minds and prevent them from working too long. Allow employees to eat lunch somewhere other than their desks and ask them to change tasks every few hours, if possible. Also, introduce your employees to stress-relieving exercises that can be done at their desks, such as the shoulder roll and wrist wave, which can also prevent carpel tunnel. The last step to office safety is to give your employees a comfortable space to work. Make sure lighting around the computer is not too bright, but still illuminates the work area. Position the keyboards at an appropriate angle and provide comfortable chairs for them to sit in.
We are living in unprecedented times and many people are returning back to work. Workplace safety is important, and all companies need to ensure that their employees are safe and healthy. Every industry has different safety risks and management should provide clear, precise strategies to ensure that safety precautions are put into place. I have worked in a few different places and I can say that I have been trained correctly and felt safe. The companies that I have inspired me with my step-by-step guides to making both restaurant jobs and office jobs safer to protect employees, prevent accidents and increase productivity.