Many people claim to care about workplace safety, but only a small number are actually willing to make changes to their policies and procedures. Are you one of them? Here are just a few ways to improve safety around the workplace.

1. Train and Test Your Employees

Do your workers know how to act in an emergency situation? Are they trained to handle things quickly, calmly and without causing any liability issues? If you can’t give a confident “yes” to these questions, it’s time to train or even re-train your employees. Don’t just put them through a lecture at the time of their hiring and expect them to remember it for the next five years. Test their knowledge regularly, and run drills so that everyone can carry out emergency procedures through muscle memory alone.

2. Mind the Temperature

If your employees are expected to work in very hot or very cold conditions, it’s imperative that they’re dressed properly. Not only will it keep them safe from burns and frostbites, but it will also ensure that they operate at full efficiency. You can’t expect them to do a great job if their bodies are shutting down from extreme temperatures. Look into things like warming and cooling leggings to learn how you can protect them without affecting their job performance.

3. Know the Law

OSHA has all kinds of tips, tricks, brochures and fact sheets about workplace safety. It doesn’t matter if you’re mixing chemicals in a lab or fixing electrical poles during a storm; OSHA will have advice on how to handle it. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of their expertise. If you can’t find the answers on their website, call them up directly and ask for assistance. They aren’t the bad guys. It will make things easier for everyone if your company has good workplace safety procedures.

These are just a few tips for improving health and safety around the workplace. While you might not be able to prevent accidents, you can drastically reduce both their likelihood and their consequences when you prepare yourself for anything.