As a Texas employer, you should do all you can to help ensure good occupational health and safety in your workplace. To do so not only helps to reduce the risk of harm, but it could also earn you better workers’ compensation rates in the process.
The first step involves conducting a thorough risk assessment to identify hazards on your premises. You also need to determine who is at risk of harm from the hazards and to what extent, as well as evaluate the likelihood of harm occurring. These steps then allow you to make sound decisions regarding the hazard.
Dealing with hazards follows a kind of ‘hierarchy’ – from total elimination at the top, down to providing protections to minimize harm from exposure at the bottom. An example is as follows:
• Total hazard elimination to remove all risk of harm.
• Reducing the chance of any exposure whatsoever to the hazard.
• Substituting the hazard for something safer. For example you could replace a toxic chemical with something less toxic.
• Providing some isolation of the hazard away from your workers.
• Using safety controls such as machine guards to help prevent harm from occurring.
• Implementation of work procedures and training around use of the hazard.
• Protection from the hazard with safety gear and equipment such as goggles, gloves and protective clothing.
While it’s not possible to totally eliminate all risk, the aim is to make your workplace as safe as is reasonably practicable – which should in turn reduce the chance of injury and the need for workers’ compensation claims and related costs. For help finding the good workers’ compensation quotes for your business, contact us.
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