Safety should always be one of your company’s top priorities. It is estimated that there were at least 4,764 deaths last year due to improper safety and safety protocols. Safety risks include poor or ineffective training for employees, as well as working in hazardous conditions or industries that can cause worker harm.

Keep reading for some tips on how to make employee safety a priority.

• Ensure your employees are properly and adequately trained.  Many preventable safety issues are often caused by improperly trained employees. Create and implement a workplace safety plan or program and regularly have employee safety training to avoid safety incidents and make sure everyone is on the same page.

• Conduct regular safety audits and risk assessments to assess your employees’ safety and identify where there may be potential risks. It’s a good idea to outsource safety audits to a third party to help avoid anyone trying to cover up a safety hazard due to fear of litigation.

• Encourage employees to report any suspected safety hazards and create an environment that makes them feel supported and safe when they do so.

• Create a culture of safety.  Creating a culture of safety can be done in a way that helps employees and managers take ownership of their own well-being and the well-being of their co-workers. A strong safety culture begins with excellent leadership and generally caring for others. If you are in a leadership position, lead safety by example and conduct yourself in a way that is good for others to follow.

Once you are able to take these steps, it makes it a lot easier to identify where risks may lie and help avoid preventable accidents. No matter what industry your small business is in, safety should always come first! For more information on how to make workplace safety a priority,  click here.