6 tips for improving workplace health and safety in 2023

Workplace health and safety is often overlooked or taken for granted, but it’s actually incredibly important for our wellbeing. After all, most of us spend a significant amount of our waking hours in the workplace! Surely you’d want to make sure you’re safe and healthy while you’re there.

28 April marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, and so in recognition of that, we’ll be sharing some practical and fun tips for improving workplace health and safety.

Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and get ready to learn some new ways to keep you and your employees safe on the job.

What is the World Day for Safety and Health at Work?

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a day dedicated to promoting safe, healthy, and sustainable work environments for all employees around the world. It is coordinated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and aims to raise awareness of the importance of occupational safety and health (OSH). It also encourages action to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.

Every year, the day has a specific theme that focuses on a particular aspect of workplace safety and health. Past themes have included mental health, chemical safety, and the prevention of occupational diseases.

What is the theme of World Day for Safety and Health at Work in 2023?

In June 2022, the International Labour Conference (ILC) decided to include ‘a safe and healthy working environment’ in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work. This historic decision was the result of a process that was formally started in 2019. As such, the theme of World Day for Safety and Health at Work in 2023 is in celebration of that change.

It emphasises that a safe and healthy working environment requires the active participation of governments, employers and workers through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, as well as through social dialogue and cooperation.

How can companies raise awareness of World Day for Safety and Health at Work?

As an employer, there are many ways you can raise awareness of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Here are some ideas to start:

1. Use internal communication channels

Your employees may not be aware of such a day, so why not use your internal communication channels to spread awareness about it? It could be anything from company-wide emails to an All-Hands meeting, a Slack announcement and more.

Share valuable information about the importance of workplace safety and health, highlight any initiatives or programs that the company has implemented to improve safety, and encourage employees to get involved. It’s always helpful to keep workplace safety and health top of mind for everyone to reduce the risk of any unnecessary accidents.

2. Organise interactive events and activities

Organise events and activities to mark the day, such as safety demonstrations, workshops, and training sessions to raise awareness of the importance of safety and health at work. They provide employees with practical tips and tools for staying safe on the job, whilst being able to engage with each other and share their own experiences.

3. Show solidarity through social media

Utilising your social media channels to share relevant articles and resources, using hashtags related to the day, and posting photos and videos of safety demonstrations and activities is another way to drive awareness. It’s a great way to not just engage your own employees, but also your clients, prospects, industry leaders and more, by highlighting the importance of improving workplace safety.

4. Collaborate with industry groups and trade associations

When it comes to promoting workplace safety and health, the more the merrier. Collaborate with government agencies, industry groups, and more by participating in joint events and campaigns to share resources and best practices. By leveraging the collective reach of your industry, you amplify the message on the importance of eliminating dangerous workplace hazards and enhancing workplace health and safety.

5. Reward and recognise safe behaviour

We can’t emphasise the importance of this enough. Reward and recognise employees who demonstrate safe behaviour and make safety a priority in the workplace. This can include incentives such as bonuses, gift cards, and extra time off, as well as public recognition across the business.

And it’s important to ensure you aren’t just doing this on World Day for Safety and Health at Work, but all year round. By highlighting the importance of safety and health at work and rewarding safe behaviour, or anyone who points out health and safety concerns, you create a culture of safety that benefits everyone.

How to improve health and safety in the workplace

1. Conduct regular safety assessments

Regular safety assessments can help you identify potential hazards and risks in the workplace, such as unsafe equipment or processes, dangerous substances, inadequate safety procedures, or environmental hazards. It allows you to evaluate where your workplace currently stands, and the gaps you need to address.

These assessments can then be used to develop and implement strategies to mitigate these risks. If you need some help getting started, refer to this 5-step guide on conducting a workplace risk assessment from the ILO.

2. Set up a workplace safety training program

All employees should receive regular health and safety training to ensure that they understand the hazards and risks associated with their job. They need to know how to use safety equipment and follow safety procedures.

Everyone needs to go through training — from executives to managers, employees, contractors, freelancers and even part-timers. This training should be ongoing on a regular basis, and all new employees should receive comprehensive safety training before they start work.

Implementing a workplace safety training program also doesn’t necessarily have to be dull — there are various options to choose from. You could opt for hands-on training, team training, online training, external training and more. You could also invite speakers or consultants to be part of your training programs. The most important thing is to ensure the training is targeted at the needs of your workforce specifically, depending on your industry.

3. Review safety rules regularly

Having a work health and safety policy is crucial for your business — but how often do you update or review it? Policies are essential in protecting your organisation from compliance and liability issues, and also in ensuring transparency of both employer and employee roles and responsibilities.

Review them regularly to ensure they remain responsive to the changing risks and issues relevant to your industry and organisation. It would be good to also involve employees in safety committees during your review process, so they can voice their concerns and raise safety issues which are most relevant to them.

4. Clear and transparent communication

The key to maintaining good health and safety in the workplace is communication. Updates in policies? New changes made to workplace procedures? New equipment being introduced? All these need to be communicated clearly and directly to your employees.

When it comes to workplace health and safety, oversharing is better than undersharing. Have regular discussions, garner feedback, and ensure all information related to workplace health and safety is easily accessible and available to all employees. Safety protocols, proper procedures for incident investigations, instruction manuals on equipment use and more should be regularly shared around the workplace to ensure safety in the workplace.

5. Investigate incidents, no matter how small they are

It’s important that you conduct a full investigation of every incident that has been reported, even if it did not result in serious employee injury. Digging deep and finding out the root cause of what happened allows you to take the necessary actions to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

If possible, track all workplace injuries and illnesses that have been reported to identify any patterns or trends that might emerge. This could provide valuable insight into how you can implement corrective actions to prevent future incidents, and allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your current safety programs so you can identify areas of improvement.

6. Focus on employee wellbeing

Workplace health and safety doesn’t just refer to jobs that require manual labour or the office, it includes the mental health and wellbeing of employees too.

Do you have a psychologically safe workplace where your team can thrive? Are you checking in on their wellbeing regularly? We have a handy employee wellbeing survey template here that you can use to gather feedback so you can make improvements within your business.

As more businesses adopt remote and flexible working long-term, ensuring that employees have an ergonomic workplace is also essential for their productivity and health. Make sure your employees are set up with the right tools and necessary equipment to produce their best work.

Build a safe workplace for your employees

Building a safe workplace for your employees is crucial for their wellbeing and productivity. As an employer, it is important for you to take proactive measures to identify and address potential hazards, provide training and resources to employees, and create a culture of safety in the workplace.

By prioritising the safety of your employees, you not only reduce the risk of workplace accidents and injuries, but also foster a positive work environment that attracts and retains top talent.

Employment Hero can help you with virtual contracts, policy acknowledgements, certifications, wellbeing surveys and more, especially with all things pertaining to health and safety in the workplace.

Within your organisation, you may have employees who should hold a certain qualification or licence to ensure workplace safety and health. Employment Hero’s Certification Settings feature allows you to set up your organisation’s requirements and request supporting documentation from employees such as mandatory certificates, set up certification renewal alerts, and more.