Safety Responsibilities of Employers

Employers have a responsibility to ensure that working conditions are safe and that every effort is made to prevent injuries to workers. An employer can implement an injury prevention program by following these steps:

1. Organize- make sure that company support for an injury prevention program is clearly communicated to all employees and that a leadership team is put in place to get the program up and running.
2. Involve Employees- hold brief information work sessions that involve workers. Communicate program goals, and gather information about the work processes where there are concerns and possible hazards. Often, employees are the best resource for pinpointing safety concerns and offering solutions.
3. Provide Training- schedule training sessions to educate employees about the basics of body mechanics, safe lifting procedures, and the symptoms of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs).
4. Identify Problems- each workplace will have a unique set of ergonomic problems depending on the tasks that are performed on a daily basis. Identify those unique issues that have the potential to cause ergonomic injuries and target those areas for specific solutions.
5. Implement Solutions- test and implement solutions on a trial basis with a small team and with any new equipment or work procedures. Make any necessary adjustments before implementing them company-wide.

To learn more about Construction Ergonomics visit our Construction Ergonomics Online Training web page.