Five ways to protect yourself at work

April 16, 2024 71

Whether you work alone or with a team, it’s important to protect yourself in the workplace. When you work hard to build a career that you’re proud of, the last thing you need is for it to be taken from you for any reason. There are many ways you can protect yourself at work and it will help to be aware of all of them.

Here’s what you need to know about workplace protection in different scenarios.

Personal Protective Equipment

There are many industries that require workers to use PPE. Perhaps you work in a loud environment and need to use ear protection. Make sure your employer is supplying you with the right auditory protection for the level of noise.

Hospitals also use PPE, especially during instances like the Covid-19 pandemic. This protective equipment should be easy for you to access but if it isn’t, think about purchasing your own so you never have to put your health at risk.

Insurance

You and your workplace should be covered by insurance. The type of insurance required will depend on your workplace and industry. For instance, doctors need to be protected by medical malpractice insurance in case of any patient complaints.

Your employer should ensure that the business you work for is insured. If you were to have an accident at work because of someone else’s negligence, you would be entitled to make a claim against your employer.

Know the rules and regulations

All businesses have rules and regulations in place to ensure their employees are kept safe at all times. As an employee, it’s your duty to make yourself aware of these rules and regulations. If an accident happens at work because you didn’t follow the rules, you may be asked to leave your position without any compensation.

If you’re unclear on the rules or have any disputes, talk to your employer. Never be afraid to raise queries if it will keep you safe.

Identify hazards

No matter what kind of workplace it is, there will always be potential hazards. If you can identify the hazards, you can highlight them and make sure no-one is injured. It could be anything from removing an obstacle that someone could trip over to using heavy machinery properly.

If hazards can’t be removed, everyone in the workplace should know about them. For instance, use clear signs to warn people and put the signs somewhere clearly visible.

Look after your work space

Keeping yourself safe at work is your responsibility as much as your employers. You should always keep your working space clear and tidy so you don’t create any potential hazards. Something as simple as pinning all wires to the wall can remove a tripping hazard.

Avoid eating and drinking at your desk so you don’t risk spillages on your devices and clear any clutter on your desk or on the floor.