Within any type of manufacturing environment, there are many types of machines and processes that involve employees and are potentially dangerous should something go wrong. Because of this, companies place a high value on implementing the latest safety measures. Since time is money in today’s competitive business world and safety is part of this equation, here are four reasons to always have safety measures in place within a manufacturing facility.
1- Required by Federal and State Law
One of the most important reasons why safety measures should be in place within a manufacturing facility is that they are usually required by law. Federal regulatory agencies such as OSHA and the EPA have strict laws in place and conduct regular inspections of manufacturing plants. Should your facility be out of compliance, large fines and other penalties could result. In extreme cases, regulators could even order your facility to be shut down until specific safety measures are put in place and verified by inspectors.
2- Improves Company Efficiency
When safety measures are not put in place and kept there on a regular basis, the result will be a drop in your company’s efficiency. If you have invested in quality assurance systems for your facility, it makes little sense to not have safety measures in place so that employees can stay safe and your equipment will have a long lifespan. Should your company’s equipment break down regularly or need to be replaced, manufacturing efficiency as well as your profits will suffer.
3- Keeps Employee Morale High
Safety measures are a great way to keep the morale of your employees at very high levels. As your employees can see the safety measures put in place for their protection, they will realize your company cares about them as human beings and is committed to keeping them safe and healthy while on the job. This will also help with employee retention since your company will gain a reputation for having a very safe and stable work environment.
4- Reduces Insurance and Legal Costs
When you have employees getting injured on the job, it not only decreases your company’s efficiency but also opens you up to potential legal action. At the very least, your company will be incurring insurance costs associated with an injured employee’s doctor visits and possible hospitalization. At worst, your company will become involved in a workers’ compensation claim that could drag on for weeks or months. Should you have an employee who is seriously injured from a lack of safety measures in place or is even killed on the job, the result could be a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit filed against your company. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, your company could be liable for millions of dollars in damages.
Even though some safety measures may be costly initially, they will more than pay for themselves in the long run. Rather than take a chance on employees getting injured or your company facing steep fines from regulatory agencies, implement the latest safety measures as soon as possible at your manufacturing facility.
