Safety Topics for Industrial Sites

Industrial sites are just as concerned, if not more concerned, with safety issues at the workplace as other businesses. In fact, the nature of work done at industrial complexes can often be more hazardous than the average workplace. For this reason, it is important to keep management and employees informed about safety issues and make sure they understand how to respond to specific situations. There are several safety topics that are essential for a successful safety program at an industrial site.

Accident and Injury Prevention

• Accidents and injuries are at the top of the list for workplace safety because of the enormous impact they can have on the company. Injuries to employees can reduce the productivity of the company and may hurt the business' ability to compete in the market. Accidents also lead to medical expenses for the company and raise the premiums for worker's compensation --- money they could use for pay raises or other improvements.

  In addition to the cost to the company, accidents and injury prevention can mean a personal difference for an employee. A loss of ability to work, constant pain from an injury and expenses associated with an injury may completely change the quality of life for the employee and the family. This is why thoroughly covering safety procedures as they pertain to accident prevention is vital.

Emergency Preparedness

• Emergencies happen everywhere, and industrial sites have more opportunity for disaster than many other places. In addition to the possibility of natural disasters such as flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes or earthquakes, an industrial company has specific hazards that can lead to an emergency situation. Pressurized contents could explode; chemical or hazardous waste leak; fires or other disasters could strike at any time. The topic of emergency preparedness should be covered thoroughly with all employees and managers at an industrial location to minimize the risk of impact of such an emergency.

Hazardous Materials

• Many industrial plants deal with hazardous materials, from radioactive materials to solid waste to biological contaminants. Employees should be made aware of the potential risks involved with handling these materials. More importantly, they should know the precise way to handle them safely.

  If every person in contact with hazardous materials is aware of the dos and don'ts associated with the hazardous materials on site then there is a much smaller chance it will become an issue.