Health and safety is a big concern for all businesses but in some industries, it’s a lot more important than others. If you’re working in an office then you need to be aware of trip hazards and fire escape plans etc. but it’s not that hard to keep on top of. But if you’re running a business in a more dangerous industry, you’ll need to work a lot harder to keep your employees safe and avoid getting yourself into legal trouble. These are the 3 industries where health and safety is the number one concern.
Construction
It’s no surprise that construction is at the top of this list because there are so many potential dangers involved. If you’re starting your own construction company, you need to make sure that you’re on top of health and safety. There are the obvious things like safety when working at heights and wearing hard hats whenever you’re on site. It’s also important that everybody has the relevant training when they’re using any dangerous equipment like power tools etc. But there are some less obvious dangers that you need to consider as well. For example, a lot of the building materials contain harsh chemicals that can be a health hazard. It’s important that you use the right gear to protect from those chemicals. It’s also essential that any electrical equipment is safety tested on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t pose a danger to your employees.
Auto Repair
The auto repair industry is another one that involves a lot of dangerous equipment. The car lift is one of the most dangerous because, if it fails, you or one of your employees is going to have a vehicle stuck on top of you. When you’re first setting up, make sure you get good quality automotive shop equipment from a reputable supplier. You can’t afford to cut costs here if you’re going to keep everybody safe. It’s also important that you’re only hiring people that are qualified mechanics. It’s easy for things to go wrong when you’re working on a car so having people that don’t know what they’re doing is always a bad move. Chemicals are an issue in the auto industry as well so always take the proper precautions.
Waste Management
Waste management isn’t an industry that people tend to think is particularly dangerous, but it can be. First off, you’re working on the side of the road when there’s traffic so you’ve got to be aware of your surroundings and make sure that you’re taking the right precautions. Waste management also involves a lot of heavy lifting so it’s vital that everybody knows the proper procedure. When you’re collecting waste, there’s no telling what could be in the bins so you always need to proceed with caution. There could be sharp objects that could injure people or some nasty chemicals in there. Don’t assume that people will follow good practice when they’re throwing out their trash, always assume that there is something dangerous in there.
If you’re working in any of these industries, health and safety is your number one concern.