Safety Protocols Every Business Should Implement

Staying safe at work and keeping everyone on the payroll safe is a tall order. It can be done, however. All it takes is dedication and attention to detail. Even if you do not understand what you need to do to create a safe environment, there is an abundance of resources available to set you and your team on the right path, including this article. Please read on to learn more about what you can do.

Implement Effective Building Access Controls

Gaining access to your company’s property should never be as easy as walking up to any door in the building, opening it, and walking inside. There should be a clear and consistent barrier to entry.

Install building access control systems, such as a simple and seamless keycard entry point at every external door, to ensure that only the people you want to be inside your buildings are able to gain access.

Furthermore, if you have proprietary information located within the building that only certain employees should have access to, an internal building access control system is a viable and easy solution to control access and know who is moving throughout your property.

Thoroughly Vet All Employers

Anyone who works for you should already be thoroughly vetted. And anyone who is applying for a position within your company needs to be vetted, as well. These actions should include a comprehensive background check and security check based on the sensitivity of the material they will be working with, in addition to their respective job descriptions.

Some background checks may include a credit check, fingerprinting, criminal history investigation, and a reference check, among other avenues to determine the proper fit and potential viability of the candidates for employment within your company.

By ensuring everyone receives a comprehensive background check, you are better able to ensure anyone working in your company is who they say they are, will be trustworthy, and will not have any reason to be compromised, so as to protect your company and maintain its safety and security.

Stay Up To Date on Company Insurance

Staying current with your company’s essential insurance policies is vital to protect your financial and physical assets. This protection may also extend to your personal assets, depending on how you have structured your company.

Require any vendors or partners you work with to also hold the appropriate insurance policies to prevent any liability on your part in case of an accident, damage, theft, or a natural disaster, etc.

Holding the necessary insurance policies is beneficial for everyone involved with your company, from the top to the bottom and everything in between, to ensure they are protected from financial disaster and receive the appropriate care if an accident occurs.

Some of the critical insurance policies your company should hold include the following:

• Workers’ Compensation
• General Liability
• Commercial Property
• Professional Liability
• Commercial Auto

It is important to note that your state may have different insurance requirements, so you should always check to ensure your company is in compliance.

Create an Emergency Response Plan

An emergency response plan is something every business needs. In addition, it is likely required by your state and insurance company. All employees, at every level and regardless of whether they work on-site, in a hybrid status, or remotely and only occasionally come into the office, should be required to complete the training in the workplace to ensure they understand what to do should an emergency situation occur.

Any emergency response plan should include written and visual guidance regarding the following potential scenarios:

• Fire
• Wind Event or Tornado
• Active Shooter
• Earthquake
• Hurricane or Tsunami
• Cybersecurity Breach
• Medical Emergencies
• Lockdown and Shelter-in-Place

Install an Energy Redundancy

Whether you live in an area of the country that experiences frequent blackouts, seasonal blackouts, or rolling blackouts when the power grid is overloaded, you should seriously consider installing a backup power source. An industrial generator is your best bet against a complete power failure.

Always work with a licensed professional to install the generator and learn about the correct size required for your type of business and specific size parameters. Having a generator on hand will provide a continuous power source for your food refrigeration needs, safety protocols such as alarm systems, lighting, and cooling systems for any essential technology.

Maintain a Clean and Organized Environment

Ensuring your business’s office space, warehouses, storage facilities, parking lots, structures, and grounds are clean and well-kept is vital for everyone’s safety.

From your employees to your customers and clients to the stakeholders and investors, it is important to keep your facilities in proper working order. Focus on creating a schedule for routine inspections and repairing or replacing damaged and broken items in a timely fashion.

Create a cleaning schedule with strict guidelines for proper sanitation and hygiene. By making sure your property is clean and well-maintained, you can provide a safe and comfortable working environment for everyone who sets foot on the company’s property.

Provide the Right Resources

Every job and job description requires a different set of tools to do it right. Make your company and your team safer by providing them with the right equipment and tools to succeed. Whether they require high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely work with dangerous chemicals or the latest laptops to run data sets, your employees need essential resources.

Once you supply your team with the necessary tools and equipment, ensure you check back with them at regular intervals to determine if the supplies are functional and appropriate or if something better is in order.

In addition, as time passes, their resources may succumb to natural wear or new innovations may become available. Support your employees and encourage them to do their best and be safe by equipping them with what they need.

Keeping your company in good standing with insurers, the applicable legal statutes, and in the court of public opinion is essential. You can do this by following the appropriate safety protocols listed here. Running a business requires an immense amount of work. Luckily, you can make it easier through sound decision-making.