In addition to preventing accidents, the goal of prevention is to reduce or eliminate the risks of harm to workers, property, or both. This is done through awareness of surroundings, identifying hazards, and implementing safety measures. Workplace safety involves making sure that employees wear appropriate protective gear, ensuring that egress routes are clear, and inspecting vehicles and equipment to prevent tripping hazards. Here are some of the steps necessary to improve workplace safety.
Identify
Identifying hazards and assessing their impact is the first step in reducing risk. Hazards may be present in all types of work environments, but there are ways to minimize them. The best way to prevent a risk is to avoid it altogether. If this is not possible, use other principles of prevention to manage the risk. In general, the goal of prevention is to eliminate the risk as much as possible. In certain cases, a single control measure should be used.
Reduce risk
The principles of prevention are important guidelines that help employers reduce risk. Many work environments present risks, and reducing them can result in a safer workplace. However, not all risks can be prevented. In these situations, a combination of measures is recommended. The goal of prevention is to reduce the risk to the lowest reasonable level possible. When this is not possible, other principles of prevention can be employed. The aim is to reduce the risk as much as possible.
