General hazards in the workplace

There are many different hazards that occur in any office or work environment. While it's common to have workplace injuries and accidents in companies that manufacturer equipment and other things, an accident can just as easily occur in a professional office environment as well due to poor communication and improper signage. Here are some of the general hazards in the workplace that you need to be aware of and also things that can be done to prevent the accidents from occurring.

Mechanical Hazards
For a company with mechanical equipment, it can lead to very expensive and devastating injuries. Machines need to be serviced regularly and safety procedures must be in place in order to ensure that the employees will know how to operate the equipment and that they will be safe. Sometimes the equipment is fine but the accident occurs because there is hardly any space for the employee to move around. Confined space restrictions lead to many workplace accidents and they can all be prevented with just a little change in the way you organize your office. The machines need to be examined but you also need to have the valves and other things that are connected to it examined as well to ensure there are not gas leaks or other hazards.

Breakdown in Communication
For many businesses the workplace accidents occur because communication doesn't exist. If there is a breakdown in communication it can cause an accident to occur because the person that is injured wasn't given proper instructions. There may also be a problem with proper reporting procedures about the accident as well, which can make the entire situation worse. For small work spaces, visual monitoring can be used to prevent or to report an accident in a timely manner. Proper training is another big aspect of communication. Many employees do not have the right type of training to understand what needs to be done in order to prevent an accident as they do not properly understand how to run a machine or to even perform the simplest tasks with their job.

Improper Exit Procedures
Hazards can happen at any time and if you do not have a system in place for the employees to leave if a fire breaks out or another emergency happens, you can easily increase your accident ratio. Having a proper plan of action for accidents is the best way to keep your employees safe and to limit panicking. Always have a training class for your employees to understand what needs to be done if there is an emergency and everyone needs to get out of the building immediately. Do all of the doors have signs over them to inform the employees where they need to go? Do you have other things like fire exits or fire hoses clearly marked for the employees to see? Take a walk around your building and notice all of the hazards that do exist and start doing something about them.

Noise
Working in a loud environment day after day really can take it's toll on your ears. Noise hazards are a large concern to many offices as they can leave employees partially or completely deaf. Always provide your employees with earplugs and safety equipment. It is also important to look into new machines and other things that are not quite as loud. Installing double-paned doors is a great way to trap the noise into one large room so it doesn't radiate throughout the building and cause many people to be frustrated. The problem with noise is that people cannot hear and they may have an accident because of it. Visual lighting and emergency procedures must be taken in order to help the employees see since they cannot hear.