Design and maintenance of the workplace environment

When assessing the quality of your safety regime, ask the following questions: Is the floor suitable and safe for the workers? Is it fitted correctly and properly maintained? Are walkways wide enough and do they have no unexpected level differences? Are stairs suitable? Are solid handrails available at every stair case? Do environmental factors such as good lighting conditions also fall in the category of good housekeeping? Is there enough light for employees to identify hazards?

Lessons

Floor openings used for maintenance or repair should be well marked. Make sure lighting is sufficient and that slopes, unbalanced variations in floor levels, and steps are clearly visible. Keep walkways and work areas clear of obstructions. Blunt objects in walkways should be well marked and have soft padding. Slips and trips are not only unpleasant, but are costly to the bottom line. Use common sense to review risks. Discuss “What if’s…”, and find low cost solutions.

It leaves us with the question; should housekeeping be an essential part of your safety department when it comes to preventing the most likely type of accidents on your work floor?