Ensuring the health and safety of your workers is essential for all employers. Minimising risk, implementing a hierarchy of control and making simple practices such as Take 5 Safety a part of daily work life are great ways to make health and safety a focus for all those at work. But these measures are only as good as the workplace safety culture. So, why is it so important and what can you do to improve the health and happiness of your employees in the workplace? 

What Is Positive Safety Culture?

Implementing a positive safety culture is a really important part of improving your safety management system. Employees understand that their health and safety matters to the company and are therefore happier and more committed to the job. 

To achieve a positive safety culture, everybody in the company needs to be on board. Employees should be encouraged to participate and suggest ideas that could make the workplace a safer and happier place to be. Creating an environment that puts employee safety at the heart of it is essential.

Not having a positive safety culture can have a number of negative effects on employees and the company. These include:

• Employees feeling like the work demand or the company are more important than their safety.
• Workers don’t feel confident reporting hazards, risks or safety concerns. They may think they won’t be taken seriously.
• An increase in the number of injuries and accidents at work. Not only is this a serious problem for employees, but time off can also cost the company a lot in replacements or delayed work.
• Decrease in motivation. Workers that don’t feel like their health and safety are a priority for employers will feel less motivated to go to work and perform their best. They’ll be less likely to work as part of a team, collaborate with others and contribute to incident reports or risk assessments. 

Implementing a positive safety culture in your workplace can go a long way to improving productivity, employee well-being and morale and reduce the likelihood of accidents at work.

How Can You Create a Safety Culture at Work?

There are a number of ways in which companies can create or improve their workplace safety culture, including:

• Hold Regular Safety Briefings and Meetings
• Using Take 5 Safety Books and Other Checklists
• Having Safety Posters
• Offering Online Training (It’s Free!)

Hold Regular Safety Briefings and Meetings

Holding regular safety briefings is a great way to show your employees that their health and safety is of the utmost importance to the company. It gives employers the chance to update workers on any new assessments or procedures and gives employees the opportunity to contribute to workplace health and safety.

They don’t need to be long but safety meetings can help improve employee happiness, overall morale and reduce accidents at work.

Using Take 5 Safety Books and Other Checklists

At UniPrint, we have a large range of safety books for every industry. These include the Take 5 Safety Book, Pre-Start Checklist Book, Journey Management Planner and Hazard Report Book. Pocket-sized books that are quick and simple to use ensure that workers make health and safety a priority every day. 

The books contain daily risk assessments and checklists to fill out. They also have information about hierarchy of control and procedures to follow once a hazard is identified. At UniPrint, all our safety books can be customised with your company’s logo, individual procedures, meeting points and anything else you’d like to include! We can print them on stone paper and with waterproof covers for those working in wet environments.

Having Safety Posters

Eye-catching safety posters around the workplace can help employees focus on health and safety and show that it’s a priority for the company. UniPrint’s safety posters are customisable and come in a range of sizes to suit any space. They’re durable, can last short periods outdoors and are clear and easy to use.

They’re a constant reminder to be aware of risks and that employee safety is a priority.

Offering Online Training (It’s Free!)

UniPrint provides free online safety training so that employees and companies can get the most out of the safety books. Step by step, it provides all the information needed to create a safe workplace and how the safety books can help ensure this. 

When an employee completes the online training, a certification will be sent to them and their manager. This proves to the worker that management is taking health and safety very seriously and creates a positive environment that workers will want to contribute to.  

Why Is a Safety Culture So Important?

Having a positive safety culture at work is vital to keeping employees healthy and happy. Workers need to feel like management cares about their well-being and that they can approach the company with improvements and concerns. 

Take 5 Safety books and posters help keep health and safety a priority whilst also proving to workers that the company cares about their working conditions. Having a positive safety culture improves overall working conditions which is good for both employees and employers!

Contact UniPrint today to see how our products can help improve the working environment at your workplace.