Safety walks are an important part of any organisation's safety program. They help identify potential hazards and correct them before they cause an accident or injury. Safety walks also help build a culture of safety in the workplace by emphasising the importance of safety to everyone in the organisation.
Finally, safety walks can also help improve morale and communication within the workplace by giving employees a chance to voice their concerns about safety issues.
How to conduct a safety walk
A safety walk is a structured process for observing and identifying potential hazards in the workplace. Anyone can conduct a safety walk, but it is best to have someone trained in safety observation leading the walk.
The purpose of a safety walk is to identify potential hazards so that they can be corrected before an injury occurs. To do this, start by dividing the area to be inspected into manageable sections. Then, systematically go through each section, observing and taking note of any potential hazards. Finally, debrief with the team to discuss what was found and how to correct any hazards identified.
Remember, the goal of a safety walk is to prevent injuries by identifying and correcting potential hazards before they become a problem! Keep these tips in mind when conducting your next safety walk: start with a small area, make sure everyone on your team knows how to conduct a safety walk, and always use caution when working around hazardous materials.
5 reminders for conducting effective safety walks
Safety walks are an important way to keep employees safe and ensure they are following safe working practices. Outlined below are the steps, or as we call them; reminders for conducting an effective safety walk:
- Define what a safety walk is and why they are important. A safety walk is a guided tour of the worksite that helps employees identify potential workplace hazards and follow recommended safety procedures.
- Outline the steps for conducting an effective safety walk. The steps for conducting an effective safety walk include identifying hazards, documenting findings, and following up on any identified hazards.
- Describe how to identify hazards during a safety walk. During a safety walk, it is important to take into account both visual and audible cues to help identify potential workplace hazards.
- Explain how to document and follow up on hazards identified during a safety walk. Documentation of findings from a safety walk can help track progress made in addressing unsafe working conditions at the worksite.
- Share tips for creating a culture of Safety in your workplace including incorporating Safety Walks into your overall Safety Program.
Final thoughts
Regular safety walks are an essential tool for ensuring the safety and well-being of employees in the workplace. By following the five quick reminders outlined above, organisations can be sure that their safety walks are effective in identifying and reducing hazards.
Additionally, involving employees in the process, taking detailed notes, implementing corrective actions and following up on identified hazards can help foster a culture of safety and promotes employee engagement in the entire safety process. What's more periodic safety walks can help prevent accidents and injuries and ultimately contribute to a safer and more productive workplace for all.
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We are building the world's first operational involvement platform. Our mission is to make the process of finding, sharing, fixing and learning from issues and observations as easy as thinking about them and as rewarding as being remembered for them.
By doing this, we are making work more meaningful for all parties involved.
More information at falcony.io.
