Safety in the workplace is one of those things that is often taken for granted. No one goes to work thinking that they’ll have an accident or injury that prevents them from going home at the end of their shift. Unfortunately, workplace accidents are very much a reality. OSHA states that 5,147 workers were killed on the job in 2017.
A number of outcomes can occur when a facility experiences an accident. Damaged product or equipment can incur expensive repairs. Extended downtime can lead to lost profits. Employee morale and retention might suffer. Lawsuits, fines, and investigations can tarnish a business’s public image and plunge it into bankruptcy.
An organization’s ability to bounce back after an accident depends greatly on it’s size and the severity of an incident. Managers should always keep safety in mind for the sake of their employees, but a large, national organization can loose an entire facility and still recover. A small business that experiences a major accident; however, is at a much higher risk of shutting down.
With this being the case, small business owners and managers must be especially cognizant of the risks that face their organization, and safety programs should be implemented in every work environment. Managers can’t assume that employees know how to handle hazardous chemicals and equipment. Ample training and safety gear should be provided to minimize the risk of accidents.
Just because accidents can happen, doesn’t mean they should. Everyone in the workplace benefits when safety is a priority. Initial investments in personal protective equipment and training pay for themselves by preventing lost profits, fines, and litigation.
During the past twenty-three years, Protect Environmental has been providing our clients with safety oriented emergency response and waste disposal services. We strive to help our clients achieve their safety goals along with providing robust chemical spill response. Contact our office today to learn more about making Protect the core of your business’s contingency planning.
Richard Cameron is the CEO of Protect Environmental Services.
Protect Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) is your best-in-class “clutch” performer when you need a First Responder. PESI tackle & remediate the most dangerous chemical spills & removal of hazardous waste. In fact, our pursuit of safety & rapid response for environmental sustainability surpasses ALL other environmental service companies. PESI has been rapidly responding to emergency environmental calls in North Central Texas since 1996.
Richard is also a published author of the “Ebola Response Procedures.” Additionally, he is considered an expert witness to many litigation and mediation cases. He works with multiple law enforcement agencies in forensics to hunt down illegal dumping perpetrators.