Retail

Do You Practice Workplace Safety In Your Company?

If you are a business owner or in a managerial position, you should be aware of the importance of workplace health and workplace safety. For two reasons, the first is because it is the right thing to do for your employees as well as your customers. The second is that you can be held liable and be prosecuted when workplace safety goes wrong.

Many businesses, all over the world falls short on workplace safety and often it comes to light and it gets plastered all over the news channels. This happens in all industries, and while some incidents cannot be prevented, there are many that could have been prevented. It comes down to awareness, training and equipment, and the management.

Speaking from experience, I can tell you that the manager is the first person to be held responsible and it goes all the up to the board of directors. When some incident happens, the spotlight is on the person in charge. The person in charge must demonstrate that work safety procedures are practiced and carried out on a daily basis. There must be an awareness of workplace safety practices, and companies that practice workplace safety will include this in their quality policy and procedures. In other words, it has its place in the company's handbook or manual.

What Does Workplace Health and Work Safety Involves?

Workplace health and safety starts with a risk assessment of the workplace. It could be a construction site, a factory, a supermarket or an office. It identifies the potential working hazards that exists in the work environment. This could include the construction materials used, placement of structures and equipment, fire hazards, blockage of walkway, and emergency exits. It should also detail the work practice, storage areas and documentation used. Depending on the work environment, an assessment of legal and health risks should be included.

It is recommended that you involve qualified workplace safety consultants who are experts in health and safety regulations, such as Veritas Health and Safety Consultants if you are based in the UK.

Workplace safety consultants provides:

1. Asbestos survey
2. Training courses
3. Construction safety
4. Workplace safety
5. Office safety
6. Health and Safety audit
7. Fire risk assessment
8. Documentations
9. and other services

Workplace Safety In Retail

To give you an idea on the workplace safety practices we use in the retail industry, we have to ensure the safety of our employees, as well as the safety of our patrons.

1. Display racks - properly secured and in no danger of toppling
2. Walkways cleared of obstructions - in common areas as well as service areas
3. Lighting - to provide ambiance, as well as safety
4. Fire systems - sprinklers, alarms, extinguishers and fire hoses, emergency lighting and exits
5. Electrical outlets - routine inspection for safety
6. Electricity usage - appointed qualified charge-man
7. Cold storage - chillers and freezers at the correct temperatures
8. Food storage - edible foods are stored away from non-edibles
9. Food handing - from preparation to display
10. The list goes on

From the manager to the duty officer and department heads, we are always looking out for something that is out of place, inside and outside the store. It is part of managing a business well and providing a great customer shopping experience.

To get more information on workplace safety, visit www.veritas-consulting.co.uk.