A safety manual is intended to help employees and managers within a company to perform their tasks safely by means of a strategic procedural guide.
Business owners and managers have a heavy load on their shoulders and, therefore, they need to minimize this situation with the means available to them.
An investment in the professional writing of a safety manual is important in order to avoid accidents that can cost much more than this prevention.
A company’s safety manual is important just for the simple fact of providing a safe environment, avoiding accidents and achieving a pleasant and respectful workplace for everyone’s well-being.
All the contents of a safety manual is important
Contents
When writing a safety manual, the person in charge must observe and analyze the current situation of the company in order to measure risks and come up with strategies for changes to ensure that everyone is safe.
This document establishes clear instructions on how the work routines should be handled from now on; these instructions include an effective strategy to minimize additional risks.
In addition, the correct use of equipment and machinery and the individual protection methods for each employee according to their position and responsibility are clearly added.
The safety manual also creates a commitment on the part of the executives and managers to the implementation of occupational health and safety improvements, as it incorporates the signature and responsibilities of each member.
What does a safety manual guarantee in a company?
Although it may not seem like it, this document is the basis of good occupational health and safety management within a company.
When an employer decides to implement improvements in the company and selects a team to be in charge of the safety department, they sign a safety manual and commit to create positive changes that increase the safety of the site through established strategies.
Once these steps are completed, the safety manual provides the following:
Safe practices:
A new work routine with elements and strategies that minimize risks and keep employees safe from injury or accidents. Daily tasks are analyzed and routines are improved through safe procedures.
General support, acceptance and involvement:
The approval of executives and managers is required to achieve the effectiveness of the safety manual. Once the plans are accepted, they must be communicated to the rest of the employees through other strategies.
Assertive communication within the company:
To ensure that the safety techniques are applied, all employees must be aware of the new changes. For this purpose, training, communications, public plans and signage are carried out to ensure that everyone applies the new procedures.
What benefits does a safety manual provide to a company?
Compliance with legal obligations:
Yes, having a safety manual is a basic responsibility of some companies that must have certain standards to perform it according to the line of business. Of course, a manual that is truly committed to the safety and well-being of its employees and the company’s infrastructure will establish procedures for broader aspects than those required by law.
Recognition in the industry:
Having mechanisms and methods in place that minimize risks in the company’s daily practices provides a perspective of commitment that can attract customers and knowledgeable employees.
This applies to both large and small companies: by implementing changes in safety strategies, company expansion is likely to be the result.
