All employers have a duty of care under UK law to ensure the protection of their employees in the workplace. There are regulations in place that every business has to adhere to – most notably The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which protects worker welfare.
But accidents can happen, sadly, whatever industry you’re working in. From using heavy machinery in a manual job to something as innocent as working too long in the same chair at a computer station can have a serious effect on worker health.
Also as important – if not more so - is to ensure the safety of your customers with safety signs that alert them of potential dangers, no matter how unlikely to happen. High voltage signs for instance are a necessity around electrical boxes, as are signs that can be deployed the second a spillage occurs.
Accidents such as spillages also need to be kept to an absolute minimum. Take a supermarket, for instance. If something were to spill on the floor of an aisle and not get noticed, then not only is your workforce in danger but so are you customers.
Accidents in the workplace aren’t only damaging to employee health. A serious accident could potentially harm that employee’s career and contribute to a loss of earnings. It can also lead to a loss of man hours in a department if an employee is injured, and put pressure on other workers.
More worryingly, a serious accident or injury could potentially lead to a lawsuit against you and your company, depending on the measures you’ve taken to reduce the risk posed to staff and the customers visiting your premises.
Putting safety signs in place around your company’s working environment is a brilliant way to alert people of certain risks – no matter how small they seem – and to encourage them to take extra care around certain areas on the premises.
But just installing a sign may not be enough. The sign has to be visible, and deliver a clear message to warn people to be careful in case of an accident.
There are a number of safety signs available at FASTSIGNS that can go a long way to alerting people of potential dangers, from static signs to digital, interactive signs that can be customised specifically to attract people’s attention.
Safety signs don’t have to just point out suspect areas and things to watch out for. Safety signs are a great instructional tool for employees and customers to give them confidence and knowledge of what to do in an emergency situation.
Signs detailing what to do in the event of a fire or emergency procedures that need to be taken if certain machinery fails are excellent points of reference for people and a brilliant way to absorb knowledge.
The most crucial thing to remember when installing safety signs though is that it has to be done with people in mind, not just bought for the sake of it. Your employees and customers are the lifeblood of your business – make sure you protect them with informative safety signs.