There are many benefits to setting up a work safety programs in workplaces.  Accidents and injuries will be minimized or altogether avoided.  States require employers to adopt health and safety standards in order to protect their workers.  Workers are also required to observe these programs.

Setting Up an Effective Work Safety Program

A work safety program needs to be initiated and implemented from the top down.  It is important that the management believes in setting up such system.  It is the management’s responsibility to set up an effective safety and health system for their employees.  The management needs to take ownership of this responsibility.  They need to get everyone involved in implementing the plan.

Identify Potential Risks and Put Up Safety Measures against Them

Health and safety risks vary from one job to another.  The management should get the employees involved in identifying risks related to their job.  A work safety program should teach employees how to assess potential risks and workplace operations.  People need to identify connections between their tasks, their work environment and their tools.

After identifying potential and existing work hazards, the management can then take measures in order to considerably reduce or eliminate these risks and dangers.

Conduct Work Safety Training Regularly

The management should make sure that safety orientation training should be regularly conducted.  This program should be introduced to new workers, so they will learn how to recognize potential work hazards.  They also need to learn how to react during emergency situations.

They should also be familiar with the work safety program itself.  Workers need to be familiar with proper work procedures.  They should know how to use and maintain their work tools and equipment properly.  Not only will this help ensure work safety, but also minimize equipment fixes and repairs.  This will also help maximize workers’ efficiency.

Workers, staffs or employees need work safety training.  This helps boost their morale and confidence.  Workers appreciate the fact that they have rights and that their safety is well protected.  This helps boost their morale.

Create a Health and Safety Committee

A work safety program should include the establishment of a committee that will ensure employees’ or workers’ safety.  This committee should meet regularly.  They should take on responsibilities and tasks in order to protect the workplace safety program.  Their tasks should include analysis of the program implemented, emergency response planning, emergency training and drills and risks communication.  It is their responsibility to encourage and promote awareness.  They should develop safety goals and responses.  They should also make sure that the work safety program is regularly updated.

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In this day and age we cannot be too dismissive of terrorists threats. We must always have a boy scout mentality of always being prepared. Bad people are prowling the grounds. We must be ever vigilant much more so today than any.

Since people spend their time mostly at work due to the global economic crisis, it is just apt to discuss security procedures in the case of terrorist attacks.

Here are some of the standard operating procedures that you must know.

1. More guards should be employed during threats. Every door, entrance and exit, should be manned 24-7 without any exceptions.

2. Be sure that you contact the Government/ Police/ Bomb Squad Agencies when informed of any threats.

3. Assure that every possible procedures is followed by having regular security briefings with the guards.

4. Register and keep track of all control panels and keys / locks to ensure integrity..

5. If one person loses the master key, have all the locks in the hotel changed by hiring a specialist.

6. A map of the hotel with all the exit, entrance, and other circulation should be in the possession of security all the time.

7. All persons with temporary I.D. should always be checked on a regular basis.

8. All vehicle entering the hotel premises to be checked according to protocol.  Do not forget to check vehicles parked near / around hotel premises.

9. Exhaustive CCTV coverage on digital recording is preferred instead of time lapse VCR. Every recording should be reviewed every day and suspicious recordings to be reviewed closely.

10. Operators should have a voice recorder handy in case of bomb threats or prank calls.

11. Daily patrols should be increased in the internal parts of the hotel. Patrols should be logged and documented every step of the way.

12. Staff and crew of the hotel should be trained thoroughly in suspicious item handling.

13. Any packages and parcels should be handled and cleared according to the security measures and standards of the hotel.

14. The PA system should always be working.

15. Entry into sensitive banquets must be secured with X-ray machines and metal detectors.

16. All staff and crew should be aware and trained in any contingency plans or evacuation plans.

17. Every staff and crew should be aware of evacuation plans during fire related incidents.

There was this old cartoon called GI Joe with a public service message during every episode. One character will end up saying, “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.” This is true in any work place, especially in this information age. Because information is ammunition.

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Broken bones are caused by spillages in the kitchen area. If spills are not addressed properly, slips and falls can occur. Sometimes, some chefs get broken bones during severe accidents in the kitchen.

If you want to learn how to deal with broken bones during emergencies, read on.

Symptoms of broken bones

Here are the common symptoms of broken bones

1. Immediate and excessive swelling. When swelling occurs after the accident, this is a clear sign that the victim has broken bones.

2. Deformity of the part suspected of having broken bones. You will be able to tell if the body part is broken if it is not in the right place.

3. If the farthest point of the injured limb is colored blue or numb to the touch. Discoloration is also a big sign that the victim has broken bones. Try and touch the affected area. If the victim does not seem to feel anything, this is a sign of broken bones.

4. Small contact to the injured area causes excessive pain. Sometimes broken parts become discolored and numb, yet on the other hand, a sure sign of broken bones is excruciating pain.

Keep in mind that to diagnose a broken bone from just a bruised or sprain injury is important. This is to make sure that you will not exacerbate the injury further.

Here’s what you should do in case of broken bones

1. Call your designated emergency safety workers right away. Broken bones should not be taken lightly in any way. If you suspect that the victim has broken bones, then call your nearest emergency response team right away.

2. Immobilize the broken bone with a splint. The splint can be of any material, as long as it is rigid and longer than the injured area.

Splint can be a long rigid ply-wood or plastic. It is important not to move the injury further to keep it from re-injury.

3. Just tie the splint snugly on the affected area. Lay it on the area and wrap it with cloth or gauze. Don’t wrap the splint so tight so you won’t cut off the circulation in the affected area.

4. If the break is in the forearm. You have to loosely wrap a splint (a magazine or a thick newspaper) around the break and use a sling fashioned from gauze or a strip of cloth to keep the elbow immobilized.

5. If the break is in the lower part of the leg. Apply two splints, one on each side of the leg. If suitable material is not available, use the victim’s healthy leg as a makeshift splint.

As much as possible, keep the victim from moving and until an emergency team arrives.

Broken bones are very dangerous to neglect. It can be even more dangerous if you apply wrong procedures on the victim. The best way you can help yourself and others is to call in the injury to your nearest emergency response team. However, if ever help is not nearby, just review this article just so you know the right procedure to follow.

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Work safety should cover all the hazards in the kitchen. Sometimes cuts and scrapes can’t be avoided in the work place. The better solution is to avoid such cuts and scrapes in the first place. But in this article, we will tackle how to apply first aid to cuts and scrapes.

When it comes to cuts and scrapes, you have to remember the acronym ICE.

I – Ice.

Put ice on the affected area if applicable. This will reduce swelling and pain.

C – Compress.

Apply pressure with a clean cloth to minimize blood flow.

E – Elevation.

Elevate the affected area above heart level to minimize swelling and blood flow.

Here are the types of cuts and scrapes that you may encounter.

For minor cuts

Use soap with anti-bacterial properties and warm water to wash the wound and avoid infection from spreading.

Remember that water may help the flow of blood by thinning the blood. Place gauze on it or a clean cloth then apply pressure until blood clotting occurs.

For wound with debris

Sterilize a tweezers and use it to pull out the debris. Go to the emergency room immediately if the debris cannot be removed with tweezers.

Dressing

To keep dirt or bacteria from entering the wound, dressing the wound in gauze is very important. It helps to keep infection out of the affected area.

Monitoring of the wound

Even minor wounds should not be neglected.

Make sure that you dress the wound and change the dressing every few hours or as needed. Dressing the wound will help facilitate healing by preventing infection from occurring.

If the wound becomes red or puffy, or if excessive pain persists, then it may have become infected and will require a physician’s attention. Always be wary of the situation. If you are injured, then be mindful of swelling so you can report infection immediately to your physician.

Do not be dismissive that cuts are just minor injuries. Some can be quite serious if not tended to by a professional. If the wound is deep or the bleeding is non-stop, it may require stitches in order to heal properly. Constant bleeding means that your wound needs stitches. This can be done easily by a professional.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is irritating to the wound so don’t put any on the wound itself. What you should do is just dab a bit of it on the sides of the wound. This will help prevent infection to the wound from spreading.

An antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin is a better alternative to Hydrogen Peroxide – it keeps the wound from getting infected and speeds up the healing process.

Remember This

Be sure to apply the concept of ICE when dealing with cuts and scrapes. Keep in mind that cuts and scrapes can be dangerous when not treated properly. In fact, infection can lead to a lot of complication and may require amputation.

Be mindful of your wound and the wound of others. Proper medical professionals should be consulted whenever you suspect infection in the wound. Remember to monitor your wound and feel out if the pain or swelling is getting worse or not.

The best thing, as noted earlier, is to prevent cuts and scrapes from happening in the first place. But if you ever encounter cuts and scrapes again, you will now know what to do.

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