This blog post was written by Jonathan Saar, VP of Marketing and Educational Solutions for The Training Factor. From online course design to learning program management, The Training Factor provides a single point of accountability for enhancing employee performance and productivity in the Multifamily Industry.
Safety is one of the most overlooked aspects of day-to-day business operations, even though it can be the most costly. Property management companies shell out thousands upon thousands of dollars each year in workmen’s compensation and insurance claims as a result of the simplest safety precautions being overlooked. Today I am going to touch on five common areas where safety is critical.
1. Office Ergonomics
Take a look at your posture right now. How are you sitting? Where do your hands sit in comparison to where your keyboard is? Not only how we sit, but also the equipment we use to do our job can have a great impact on our overall health. A couple of interesting trends I am seeing are more companies looking into standup desks and interesting office chairs that are basically Pilates balls in a chair frame. It’s important to be cognizant of our environment and of ourselves. Little decisions make a great overall impact on our health in general.
2. Influenza Awareness and Prevention
Flu bugs come and go throughout the year and the scope and severity depends on the time of year and, sometimes, where you live. Part of keeping a safe work environment is to take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs. Make sure you have tissues available and keep surfaces clean. Many offices and apartment communities are installing hand sanitizer stations. This is a great asset in overall flu prevention. Then, there are the common sense activities like staying in shape, eating right and drinking plenty of water.
3. Fall and Trip Protection
Periodically, it is wise to take a serious look at your working environment and identify potential trip hazards, especially around fire exits. Is there sufficient space in all aisle ways? More and more people are tripping and falling because their eyes are glued to their smartphone or other mobile device. Knowing this trend is going to be here for a while, make sure there are no lower lying objects that could be easily tripped on. Keep walkways free from all electrical cords and make sure any change in floor elevation is clearly marked.
4. Blood Borne Pathogens
Keeping in tune with what OSHA dictates on this topic could very well mean your life. When working around potential sources of exposure, it is important to use universal precautions, which means to treat all bodily fluids as if they were infected. It is better to be safe than sorry. Review your company’s housekeeping policy on a regular basis, since hazardous situations are typically rare and you do not want to be caught off guard.
5. Fire Prevention and Protection
When it comes to fire safety, the single biggest danger is complacency. As a result of never having experienced an incident, we let our guard down, and then when something does happen, it can be a potential disaster. Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? Picture for a moment a fire breaks out. Are you aware of the fire exits? Does your team perform fire drills as an exercise in preparedness? This cannot be overemphasized enough. Complacency kills, so do not water down the necessity to make this a regular part of your safety talks with your team.
These are just five of many topics that involve OSHA standards and overall safety. Protect your team and protect yourself. Make safety topics a regular part of your training curriculum. By doing so you not only recognize the importance and seriousness of the matter, but you will also contribute to that bottom line. If you have any thoughts or experiences on this subject, please feel free to contribute in the comments section below.
Written by Jonathan Saar
