Managers of industrial facilities need to enforce rigorous safety codes. Labor departments and occupational safety agencies often provide comprehensive guidelines for those who work in high-risk industries.
Fire Safety Code
Industrial settings need to have strict fire safety codes that must be enforced by employers. For example, a local fire marshal could precisely calculate the maximum occupancy of individual rooms and other enclosures. Companies should post clear signs near doors to inform all workers at an industrial site about regulations on occupancy. They should also conduct fire drills routinely to teach industrial workers about the best ways to manage and escape flames and smoke. For example, show demonstrations on using fire extinguishers and fireproof blankets during the drills.
Medical Services
Businesses that operate in high-risk facilities need to sign up for reliable medical transportation services. Remote industrial complexes might not be well served by hospitals and emergency rooms that are far away. Fortunately, there are industrial paramedic agencies such as 911 Industrial Response Inc. that train their workers to provide medical treatment specifically for injuries that are related to hazardous jobs. Emergency medical responders are capable of providing adequate urgent care at workplace accident sites and inside ambulances.
Drug Testing
Random drug testing could prevent some major catastrophic accidents in industrial settings. Workers who are high on illegal narcotics become impaired and incapable of operating heavy duty machinery that could injure or kill others. Similarly, prescription medication in categories such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates could make employees dizzy, sleepy or hallucinatory. Drug tests in industrial workplaces provide incentives for workers to stay clean and sober or else face consequences that include employment termination and civil lawsuits. Onsite drug tests could be done by certified laboratory workers who only need to take a urine specimen from each worker.
Managing Noise
Industrial facilities might have extremely loud noises that could lead to permanent hearing loss. Digital meters can officially measure noise levels in specific areas and displayed them on a decibel scale. Ear plugs and earmuffs could prevent damage to the eardrum from normal industrial operations. Foam plugs are suitable for minimizing moderate noise levels such as those coming from an idle truck engine. Silicon plugs are engineered to block out extremely loud sounds such as those that are generated from gunshots or jet engine blasts.
If accidents occur at a job site, employers should know exactly how to file worker’s compensation insurance claims. It’s also a good idea for high-risk business owners to have umbrella insurance coverage in addition to liability protection.