Christmas is amongst the most dangerous times of the year, with more workplace injuries occurring over the December / January period than any other.
This is twofold, firstly during the lead up to and sometimes even during the holiday period there is an increased urgency to get work out. Whether
this be to meet production deadlines prior the holiday break, or in trying to cope with the holiday rush, employees are more inclined to take short cuts in order to keep up with workloads. Secondly, employees tend to feel more relaxed as the air is thick with holiday spirit, causing them to take their
eye off the proverbial ‘safety ball’.
Below are a few handy hints for employers to help ensure the health and safety of their staff during the holiday season:
- Conduct tool box training talks with employees, reminding them of the dangers associated with their roles and all relevant controls. Safety protocols are in place for a reason, and should not be circumvented in an attempt to increase productivity;
- Keep an eye on workloads and deadlines, it may be necessary to increase your workforce during this period, or where possible push back deadlines to relieve some pressure off your staff;
- Keep consultation open with your employees. Make sure you know what challenges they are facing and work together in order to remove these obstacles safely;
- If you are trading over the holiday period, be sure to maintain adequate supervision of employees. This may mean temporarily promoting a more experienced team member to a supervisory role if regular supervisors/managers are on leave.
- Ensure safety policies and procedures are enforced. Remember, your are not being a Grinch if your are helping to ensure your employees are able to go home and enjoy Christmas with your families free of harm.
