Workplace Xmas Safety Tips

Here are a few reasons for the increase in injuries over the festive period. They include things like:

• staff working longer hours to finish off jobs, increasing the chance of fatigue and accidents;
• to cope with the increase in trading activity and extended trading hours, temporary staff or school leavers are being employed without proper training and induction to safety processes;
• the increase in social activities and events at this time of the year can leave workers tired and rundown, impacting their concentration levels at work; and
• financial hardship at this time of year due to increased spending, can create a mental burden which may also impact concentration levels.

Here are some tips for employers to keep a safe workplace and to manage the staffing arrangement during the busy Christmas period:

• Ensure all new staff, whether full-time or casual, receive a proper safety induction 
  Provide all new staff with details about correct manual handling techniques, store processes and procedures required of them in relation to safe work practices and reporting injuries. 

• Hold regular ‘Tool Box Talks’
  Make sure ‘Tool Box Talks’ continue during the busy period and remind workers about the importance of reporting all injuries and near misses, regardless of how busy they are. This allows for preventative measures to be put in place and ensures injured workers receive the necessary medical attention. 

• Watch out for signs of fatigue
  If your staff are ‘burning the candle at both ends’ and working additional shifts they may be more susceptible to momentary lapses in concentration which can result in work related accidents. To avoid this, ensure staff are adhering to their break times and not being left to perform repetitive tasks for excessive periods of time.