There are 3 main answers to the question “Why Is Safety Important?”

Click on each answer below to learn more.

1. Workplace safety is regulated
2. It protects your team
3. It will save you time, money, and resources

Trips, slips, and falls are the cause of the vast majority of workplace injuries. Click here for some great tips to help both employers and employees prevent these types of accidents from occurring.

If you are looking for effective health and safety training, contact us.

Workplace safety protects you, your workers, and your resources

Why Is Safety Important?

1. Workplace safety is regulated

Why is safety important? The government of Ontario values workplace safety so much that it is highly regulated. It has put into place the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which is a comprehensive document that outlines the safety regulations for Ontario workplaces. The OHSA requires that employers take the following general and more specific steps to ensure a safe workplace.

General Guidelines

• You should take all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of your workers.
• You need to make sure that any equipment, materials, and protective equipment that are being used at your workplace are well maintained and are in good condition.
• You need to provide your workers with information, instruction, and supervision that will protect their health and keep them safe on the job.
• You need to cooperate with your Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC).

Specific Guidelines

• You must comply with all of the regulations that are outlined in Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
• You need to design and put in place an occupational health and safety program and policy at your workplace.
• You need to post a copy of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act in your workplace along with any other materials prepared by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development that help to explain the OHSA.
• You need to provide health and safety reports to your JHSC.

For a complete list of additional duties for employers, read OHSA, Section 26.

Why is safety important? It is the law

2. It protects your team

Why is safety important? It protects your most valuable asset, your employees. Having effective health and safety procedures is vital for the well-being of yourself and your employees.

Here are some of the main ways that safety measures protect your team:

• Your employees will be kept safe from preventable work-related injuries or health issues.
• Your workers will be happier if they are working in a safe environment.
• Having effective safety programs will encourage a more productive work environment.
• You will have a lower absentee rate as this is proven to drop when effective safety programs are introduced.
• Your employees will feel more confident and be more effective in doing their job when they are properly trained on safety procedures.
• Your company will enjoy a better reputation and brand image if you have a clean safety record.

Workplace safety will protect your team

3. It will save you time, money, and resources

Why is safety important? It will save your company time, money, and resources. Here’s how:

• Following proper safety guidelines will save you from being fined. In 2017-2018, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development handed out $12.6 million in fines to companies. That amount was much larger than the previous year when only $10 million in fines were handed out.
• You will save money due to fewer employee insurance claims from work-related accidents.
• You will have fewer production disruptions caused by work stoppages due to accidents.
• An effective safety policy will not only protect the lives of your workers, but it will cut down on the damage caused to equipment, products, or your facility due to an accident.

Following safety guidelines will save you money

How to prevent trips, slips, and falls in the workplace

Trips, slips and falls can happen in any workplace and they account for the vast number of workplace-related injuries. Here are some great tips that can help prevent these types of accidents from happening.

Tips for Employers

1. Clean up spills immediately.
2. Clearly mark spills and wet areas.
3. Mop or sweep any debris off of your floors.
4. Remove obstacles from walkways and keep walkways free of clutter.
5. Secure mats, rugs, and carpets that don’t lay flat with tape, tacks, etc.
6. Close file cabinets and storage drawers when you are finished with them.
7. Cover or tape down cables that cross walkways.
8. Make sure all working areas and walkways are well lit / Replace broken light bulbs and switches.
9. Install mats, pressure-sensitive abrasive strips, and abrasive-filled paint-on coatings.
10. Recoat or replace flooring that is slippery.

Clean up debris from floors

Tips for Your Workers

1. Wear footwear with anti-slip properties for your specific flooring conditions.
2. Wear properly fitting footwear that is comfortable and prevents fatigue.
3. Take your time when you are walking and pay attention to where you are going.
4. Adjust your pace so that it is suitable for the surface you are walking on and the tasks you are doing.
5. Walk with your feet pointed slightly outward.
6. Make wide turns when you are going around a corner.
7. Turn on all the installed light sources to give you sufficient visibility for your tasks.
8. Use a flashlight if you go into a dark room or area where there is no light.
9. Make sure that things you are carrying or pushing do not prevent you from seeing any obstructions, spills, etc.

Wear appropriate footwear

Need Workplace Safety Training? Contact ACUTE

You can trust ACUTE for the best workplace safety training possible. ACUTE’s experienced team members have been serving safety professionals for over 20 years.

You can rely on ACUTE for hands-on, physically distanced, practical safety training to keep your employees safe in the workplace. ACUTE is dedicated to workplace safety and understands the importance of course and training provider approval.

Why get workplace safety training with ACUTE?

Here are just some of the benefits of working with ACUTE:

• Open Door Instructor-Student Partnership – ACUTE’s training services emphasize client participation. Staff foster relationships with clients and serve as a touchstone for advice anytime moving forward.
• Serving Your Team and Industry – With a vast array of clients in the manufacturing, construction, health, academic, and government sectors, ACUTE brings the best safety practices from across the spectrum to your workplace.
• 100 Years Combined Experience – ACUTE provides comprehensive health and safety training, on-site safety services, and consulting services. With over 100 years of combined experience, our company staff offer more than theoretical or abstract ideas. ACUTE offers solutions.
• Track Record of Success – ACUTE is rated 4.9/5 stars on Google reviews, demonstrating a commitment to our clients, quality, and passion for training.

Check out our course calendar for times and dates of our courses.

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