Proactive Approach

Safety Plans Should Lay Out All Potential Hazards

BY DAVID KUBICEK

Understanding the full scope of potential safety issues can be daunting. Fires, tornados, chemical releases and workplace violence may be the worst-case scenarios to plan for, but they’re not the only issues a company should develop safety protocols for.

“A safety issue that people tend to forget is ergonomics,” said Susan Booth, vice president of business development for the National Safety Council, Nebraska (NCSN). “The desks and chairs of workers working from home may not be fitted properly, and developing a plan is key.”

Other types of safety plans—depending on the industry and the workload required—include such training as bloodborne pathogens, respiratory protection, fall protection, hazard communication, electrical safety, excavation and trenching.

“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, transportation accounts for 62% of workplace fatalities,” Booth said. “We suggest that organizations review their safety policies that include seat belts and distracted driving.”

Safety Leaders

Because Riekes Equipment works with heavy equipment and machinery in many different environments, its safety plan covers lots of ground, according to Director of Marketing Lisa Brink.

“We like to plan for everything,” she said. “We have extensive policies, practices and training that our team goes through.”

Every employee is encouraged to speak up if they ever feel unsafe in a customer’s environment.

“We always need to be proactive in making sure that our team is safe,” Brink said.

In addition to following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements for safety training, the commercial and industrial equipment provider offers its own series of training for all new employees that prepares them for many things they could encounter in their roles at various locations.

Riekes also has a series of safety training that was designed internally by some of its tenured long-term technicians, and it rewards other technicians for completing that series of training.