Safety is a critical factor in so many companies and especially the shipyard. As people are working around dangerous equipment, water, fire, heights, and large materials, you need to ensure that every member of your staff is safe and sound on the job. But what safety recommendations work? Here are several ways you can protect your employees from injury.
Involve Your Team
While there are certain aspects of your safety plan that need to be directed from the top, you should also involve your employees in the creation of the programs. They are the boots on the ground and are most affected by safety requirements. When employees can take ownership of the plan, they are much more likely to take it seriously and comply.
Increase Communication
It can’t be stressed enough: communication is the most important facet of safety. You need to provide clear instructions that everyone in your shipyard can understand. These instructions should be communicated verbally in safety trainings and available in writing for reference at all times. It’s also essential that you’re open to feedback from your employees to make improvements and prevent problems.
Maintain Cleanliness
A cluttered worksite can lead to unnecessary accidents in your shipyard. Make sure that you establish guidelines for keeping individual workspaces clean as well as an overall plan to unclutter and clean the shipyard as a whole. Everyone should pitch in to ensure that materials are put back and machines are properly shut down and cleaned every day.
Focus Your Efforts Based on Risk
Within a shipyard, there are specific risks that are more probable than others. You should always have plans in place for any contingency, but you can focus your efforts on the matters that are most likely within your workplace setting. For example, explosion and fire may be a risk and a plan should be in place, but you can focus your day to day efforts on reducing your employee’s muscle strain from heavy lifting.
Revisit Guidelines Regularly
Of course, with all the plans in place, you must take time out regularly to revisit the guidelines to make any updates necessary. If something changes, such as a new piece of equipment, review your current safety rules and make changes as needed. Reinforce this with an annual safety training and be sure to provide a complete safety orientation for every new employee when they start.
Do you want to make safety a priority in your shipyard? Contact Hutco to see how we can help today.
