More than ever before, companies need to place a heavy emphasis on occupational health and safety management. Not only is the safety of their employees at stake but the financial ramifications of safety lapses can be serious.

No matter the industry, every business should always be looking for new ways to change and improve. Once you stay in one place, others are bound to pass you by. Oddly enough, occupational safety and health (OSH) is one area where most companies can stand to make vast strides.

For companies in some industries, health, safety, and the environment (HSE) are such prominent concerns that they require specialized workers to oversee these areas. After all, it’s not always about making a profit. Companies also have a responsibility to protect the health and safety of employees, which is why an HSE site specialist is sometimes needed.

Job hazards get a lot of attention in the safety world. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause, an employer is legally obligated to provide a workplace reasonably free of recognized hazards.

For businesses, occupational health and safety should be a continuous project and a never-ending pursuit of perfection. It’s usually when companies get complacent with regard to safety that problems start to arise. The good news is that if companies make a commitment to safety, there is a lot that can be done to improve occupational health and safety for everyone at the company. If you’re not already doing these things, here are some simple measures that can be done to accomplish just that.

When a company experiences an incident, especially if the incident was severe or particularly damaging, it’s natural for leadership to want to provide a quick response to show the workforce they’re involved and doing something.

Whether you work in a traditional office or a manufacturing setting, fire is always a safety threat. Keeping fire extinguishers on hand and teaching employees about fire exits are both critical components of workplace safety. However, not everyone realizes that there are different types of extinguishers that serve different purposes. It’s up to company managers and supervisors to make sure they have the right one.

Maintaining a safe work environment requires a lot of things. For starters, it requires commitment and organization on the part of company managers and supervisors. But commitment and organization can only go so far if company leaders don’t provide employees with the proper safety tools and equipment. Ultimately, those are the tangible items that will keep employees safe while on the job.

Companies should never take chances when it comes to employee safety. Not only does this apply to protocols and training but clothing as well. Depending on their job, many workers require a safety jacket while they work so that they can be visible to vehicles on the roadway or work vehicles that zip around the warehouse.

Every business in the manufacturing industry should be familiar with NFPA 70E. It provides the basis for electrical safety and fire prevention inside the workplace. Needless to say, it’s a critical part of workplace safety, which also means that it contains a lot of rules and regulations that must be followed. Otherwise, companies can get into trouble with OSHA while also putting the health and safety of employees at risk.