3 January 2020 posted by Recovery Partners

Workplace Safety is EVERYONE’s responsibility.  Now is the time, if you are a good leader, to ensure all your workplace activities and worksites are safe. Ensure all workers, particularly in construction do not rush those tasks.  Short cuts can easily become the catalyst to a life-changing accident.

Regardless of your role at work, here are the top five Christmas Safety Tips to help you and your colleagues stay safe during the festive time of year.

Safe Tip # 1 – Don’t Take Short Cuts

Cutting corners is workplace behaviour that can easily result in serious injury. By skipping or avoiding steps important to a task, in order to complete the task sooner, you can dramatically increase your safety risk. 

Safe Tip # 2 – Helping Hand

By asking for help, you can lighten your load a little. Asking for help when you need it delivers you with real benefits including relationship and network building, stress relief and overall better health and improved productivity. 

Safe Tip # 3 – Wear your personal protective equipment (PPE)

While many workers appreciate the necessity of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) while at work, even if you’re in a rush to get things finished, you must wear your personal protective equipment. Not wearing PPE can be catastrophic for both you and your employer. Some health problems take years of exposure to develop and by the time you understand the risk, it could be too late.

Safety Tip #4 – Slow down

With the dash to Christmas, you’re sure to have a full social calendar filled with end of year events. You might also be feeling the stress of tying projects up at work. By planning out the next few weeks, you can properly allocate time and leave a buffer for when things don’t go to plan. You’ll get visibility on what you need to do, by when, and know where you may be stretching yourself too thin. 

Safety Tip # 5 – Don’t Drink & Drive

It’s the season of Christmas parties and the best way to make sure everyone remains safe, is to be careful how you handle alcohol, make sure everyone has transport to get home safely, and everyone looks out for each other. You also need to make sure that any party venues are free of hazards that could lead to an accident or injury. 

If it’s a work function, Section 19 of the WHS Act requires employers to ‘take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health and safety at work of the employer’s employees’. This includes undertaking risk assessments and putting suitable risk controls in place to reduce or eliminate any risk associated with the function or event. Employers should also set clear boundaries for employee’s behaviour at work-related functions, set a clear start and finish times for functions and have developed and communicated an internal policy addressing the responsible consumption of alcohol.

Merry Safe Christmas Season!

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Our consultants love to have a chat, so go ahead and give us a call on 1300 OHS RTW (647 789) or email enquiries@rrp.com.au

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Disclaimer – these articles are provided to supply general safety information to people responsible for OHS in their organisation. They are general in nature and do not substitute for legal and/or professional advice. We always suggest that organisations obtain information specific to their needs. Additional information can be found at https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/