Accidents happen. The key is to learn from them and prevent them from happening again. To assess the level of safety in your workplace, answer these questions:

		Do you emphasize safety in your daily interaction with employees?
		Do your employees treat safety seriously and comply with all safety regulations?
		Do you hold regular meetings to discuss safety issues?
		Are your employees' workstations ergonomically designed?
		Do you display posters, show videos and/or use other communication tools to reinforce the need for employee safety?
		When an accident occurs, do you identify and eliminate the hazard immediately?
		When an employee reports an unsafe condition, do you correct that condition promptly?
		Do you and your management team make safety a part of the operational planning process?
		Are your managers committed to safety and held accountable for the safety record of their unit (through bonuses, incentives, etc.)?
		If you answered YES to all the questions, you have a safe workplace! Any NO responses indicate areas requiring your attention where you may need to improve.

Take this three-step approach to safety:

1. Anticipate and disarm hazards. Be proactive when assessing safety at work. Enlist your employees' help in spotting potentially unsafe conditions. Repeatedly remind them about safety issues and procedures.
2. Identify root causes. When accidents happen, search for the trigger or triggers. For example, you note a rash of injuries in your shipping department. You watch employees placing the product into boxes on the floor, which involves excessive bending, stooping and reaching. This is the root cause.
3. Develop solutions to address root causes. In the example above, solutions could include raising the level of the box from the floor by using a platform, which could be wood or metal. Another option: a hydraulic lift table. In addition, rotation of position could be instituted to reduce repetition.