We are all trying to have our employees be loyal and caring
with the clients we serve, other employees and the company. One of the
tangibles that help employees feel loyalty and care about the two groups of
people and the company is a feeling that the company does truly care about them
and has a loyalty to them for their health, safety and wellbeing. So often in
the hustle of handling the daily issues, we become oblivious of the need for the
company to show these to our employees. The telephone is ringing, there is a
delivery at the back door, a vendor salesman comes in, or a myriad of other
distractions and time consumers.
Having worked with various companies over the past 12 years,
I have found health and safety are one of the areas that employees appreciate
and add a sense that the company is interested in their wellbeing. It is just
one of many issues that contribute to the satisfaction of an employee.
Certainly you can do all the right , recommended, best practices listed items
for employees and you will still lose some for situations beyond your control
and some beyond logic. But that does not equate to not doing them.
You may be thinking “I don’t even know where to start with a
health and safety program for my employees.” Here are a couple of easy and
inexpensive suggestions you could use:
1.
Order copies of “Clearing the Air”, a pamphlet
put out by the National Cancer Institute on ways an employee can quit smoking.
2.
Check to be sure your employees have the
personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to do their jobs regularly.
Simple things like safety glasses, ear protection, coveralls, gloves, and so
on.
3.
Check to be sure the fire extinguishers and first
aid kits are up to date and stocked in each truck.
4.
Train your employees of how to find the MSDS
information on their smart phones so they can understand what they are working
with and protect themselves.
5.
In warm weather such as we have been having,
provide them with a small inexpensive cooler filled with ice and cold bottled
water. Remind them to drink lots of water during the warm weather, to seek
shade, and to take rest breaks.
6.
Download a relevant safety topic from the internet
and have 10-15 minutes of your weekly meeting devoted to safety.
7.
If someone is hurt or there is an accident,
discuss it at your weekly meeting to increase awareness of safety.
8.
Have a safety bulletin board with relevant
articles, tips, and information.
9.
Provide breakfast at your weekly meeting if the
previous month was accident and injury free.
10.
Here is a real winner. You can have them
download an app for their IPhone or Android phone from the Red Cross. It’s
free! It has short lessons on first aid, quizzes, how to prepare for
emergencies, and what they should do in a first aid emergency.
Bergstrom-Elder Consulting can implement a comprehensive
safety program at your business to protect your employees, add job
satisfaction, and help reduce your insurance costs. Contact us for information.
Dan has been in the service industry for nearly 50 years.
He has operated a large plumbing, heating and air conditioning service company
and for the past 12 years has helped small companies in the service business to
grow and prosper. Contact him @ Dan@SayYesToSuccess.com.
Dan has been in the service industry for nearly 50 years.
He has operated a large plumbing, heating and air conditioning service company
and for the past 12 years has helped small companies in the service business to
grow and prosper. Contact him @ Dan@SayYesToSuccess.com.
