If your business works with heavy-duty equipment, you must make sure that it is used and handled safely. This will protect the well-being of employees, ensure that your equipment is operating at peak efficiency and help your operations to run smoothly.
Here, we explore three ways that companies can ensure equipment is used safely on the job.
Give staff appropriate training
It’s essential that your employees have the skills and tools they need to get the job done safely and efficiently.
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to give staff the appropriate level of training to deal with heavy loads or hazardous equipment.
For instance, if you work in haulage, you might need to train your staff on the right securing methods for each load. This could involve using high-quality ratchet straps or other tools to secure goods and stop them from moving during transportation.
The government offers guidance on securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles to ensure that “they are loaded, transported and unloaded safely”.
Do regular maintenance and inspections
Proper maintenance is also key when working with heavy-duty equipment. The Health and Safety Executive says that all work equipment must be maintained in an efficient state and be in good repair.
Not only will this protect the health and safety of your staff, but also help to keep your business running smoothly – as breakdowns and faults are less likely to occur.
“Maintenance work should only be carried out by those who are competent to do the work, and have been provided with sufficient information, instruction and competence training”.
You may have someone in-house with the right tools and knowledge to undertake your maintenance and inspections. But if not, you’ll need to employ a specialist contractor to maintain your equipment.
Only use equipment for its intended purpose
When it comes to heavy-duty equipment in the workplace, it’s vital that it’s only used for its intended purpose. This is because accidents and injuries are more likely to occur when tools are being used incorrectly.
Safeguards may not work, and other hazards may be present that wouldn’t occur if the tool was used properly.
One way to ensure that equipment is only used for it’s intended purpose is to provide the right tools in the right quantities. This may seem obvious – but lack of equipment or availability can lead team members to use the wrong tools to get their tasks done.
Make sure you plan ahead for the amount of work you have on so that you can buy the right number of tools. Equipment should also be easy to reach and access so that staff aren’t tempted to cut corners.
By providing the right training to staff, doing regular maintenance and using equipment solely for its intended purpose, you can make sure your company runs safely and efficiently.
