Contributed article in our business series. Enjoy! – Kimberly

In all types of workplaces, there are various types of equipment and machinery that is used to carry out necessary tasks. As all work machinery and equipment has the potential to cause damage and harm, it is important that all employees are fully aware of its correct and proper use and how to avoid accidents occurring in the workplace. All employees in a workplace should be responsible for ensuring that the equipment remains safe to use, reporting any faults accordingly, and making sure that nobody is at risk of harm from faulty or damaged machinery or equipment.

How to Make Sure That Work Equipment is Safe

Work equipment is any equipment used at work, such as forklift trucks, vehicle hoists, lifting slings, hand tools, vans and other vehicles, and display screen equipment such as computers. Some workplaces may also use equipment such as respiratory protective equipment and personal protective equipment. If you have control over any such work equipment, it is your legal duty to ensure that it is safe to use at all times. In order to do so, a number of measures can be taken including regular equipment checks and tests, carrying out risk assessments, following the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance and use, and establishing and ensuring that a system in place for reporting any equipment faults. You can buy safety equipment from autobodynow.com.

How to Deal with Faulty Equipment

If you discover any work equipment or machinery that is faulty or damaged, you should immediately label it unsafe for use, and report it according to your workplace’s specific guidelines. Any broken machinery or equipment should be repaired as soon as possible and tested for safety before any further use. For example, a truck bed liner that is in need of replacement should be replaced as soon as possible, and the truck should be out of use until this is carried out.

Should Employees be Trained?

Legally, any work equipment should only be used by employees who have received adequate training and are authorized to do so. Allowing untrained or unauthorized employees to use work equipment can be dangerous, and could result in accidents leading to insurance claims or worse. Depending on the equipment being used, different levels and types of training will be required. For example, equipment such as forklift trucks or vans will often require employees to have passed a driving test, whereas more basic equipment such as personal protection equipment or display screen equipment will only require employees to undergo some basic training. It is also recommended that employees who use work equipment are enrolled in regular refresher training to ensure that they stay on top of how to use the equipment and the various risks involved with doing so. Any changes to equipment also require employees to be retrained in its use.

How do you keep your employees safe at work? Which work equipment and machinery are they required to use? We’d love to hear all about it in the comments section below.