5 Key Elements of Training Employees on Safety

Workplace safety policies are not only designed to ensure that your company complies with national laws, but also allow employees to perform their jobs in a stable work environment. When you train employees on safety, there are five key elements that you should always cover.

PROCEDURES

When your employees know what procedures to follow in an emergency, they can act efficiently to prevent injury and property damage.

Procedures to include would be:

• Procedures for reporting potential safety violations;
• Phone numbers to call in an emergency;
• Different safety signs;
• Emergency alarms & how to respond to them.

EVACUATION

If a building needs to be evacuated in any case of emergency, it puts all employee lives at risk. It is therefore important to focus a little more attention on Building Evacuation.

Each department needs to be trained on its escape route out of the building, how to respond when an evacuation is called for and what process to follow once outside the building.

Remember to designate a safe Emergency Meeting Point outside the building and to develop policies to account for all employees once the building has been evacuated.

IDENTIFICATION

Workplace safety involves any activity that runs the risk of bringing harm to employees. Sexual harassment, physical intimidation, suspicious activity from visitors & fellow employees, verbal & substance abuse are all elements of workplace safety that employees should be familiar with and be able to identify.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

All employees need to understand their personal responsibility to workplace safety as well as the group's responsibility. Each employee should keep his/her work area free from obstructions that can cause accidents. When an employee sees obstructions in the hallway that can cause safety issues, they should either clear the obstructions if they are able to do so safely, or report the obstruction to their manager.

IMPACT

Highlight the importance of workplace safety by emphasizing the impact of time-lost accidents on the company. Show employees how much time-lost accidents cost the company in financial terms in the past, and how those losses affected the company's ability to give raises or hire new employees. This is an important aspect of employee safety training because it helps employees put safety into context of their own financial gain and the future stability of the company.


According to the Occupational Health & Safety Act and  Regulations, there needs to be specific Safety training in place to ensure that you are compliant. For more information and assistance with this, call one of our helpful Client Service Agents on 086 100 7742 or e-mail on skills@srg.co.za.