Help keep employees safe through training, rewarding, educating, reinforcing and tools.
In 2019, the 10 most-frequently cited OSHA standards that were violated included fall protection, hazard communication standard, machinery & machine guarding and eye & face protection.
While a few of these apply to some industries more than others, all brands must do what they can to promote safety in the workplace and beyond.
In the middle of a pandemic, with the fall season just beginning and due to the holiday season/new year approaching, now is a great time to reevaluate organizations’ and businesses’ approach to safety.
To keep your employees protected, try these five strategies:
Train
As soon as a new person joins the team, they should be equipped with all the standards, rules, guidelines and regulations, and this certainly includes safety measures and protocols. Everything should be kept in an easy-to-find place, preferably as a hard and a digital copy, and it can be part of the onboarding kit that is given to new hires.
Reward
A wise way to remind people to be safe and well is to reward them for good behavior. A safety program may have certain goals to be reached by a certain time, or it may involve spotting actions as they happen naturally.
Some examples of what to reward are if/when someone changes a lightbulb, steps up to take control during a fire drill or passes along helpful and relevant information.
Educate
Speaking of information, education could and should be happening regularly, in order to keep the team up-to-date on the latest safety news and 
procedures.
This can be done through pamphlets that are handed out, with a speaker who is brought into the office or online.
Reinforce
Additionally, safety info should be reinforced, to keep it in the front of everyone’s minds. Hang up reminders around the workplace. Send out emails with helpful tips. And remind employees of the rewards that are up for grabs.
Tools
Finally, give teams, as well as fans and followers, tools that can assist in keeping them protected.
Of course, some professionals require safety gear every day, so stock up. When it comes to safety awards, think about incorporating items that will incentivize and come in handy, such as portable chargers and flashlights. And make sure everyone has plenty of PPE.