Workplace safety displays and posters: Is your business compliant?

When it comes to workplace safety, compliance is key. Regulations, safety standards, and proper small business insurance from a trusted online business insurer work together to ensure that your employees are kept safe under the law and healthy at work.

To fail to put up proper displays could mean citations and fines for your business. Let’s look at the necessary displays you need in your workplace to remain compliant and avoid costly citations.

What workplace safety tips and displays do I have to display at my business?

As part of a comprehensive workplace safety effort, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory bodies have mandated that certain safety displays and posters be put up in every workplace. Some industries may have more display requirements than others, but nearly all businesses are required to display at least one workplace safety poster, such as the OSHA poster.

What is the OSHA poster? Why do I need it?

The OSHA Job Safety and Health: It's the Law poster informs workers of their rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. If you run a business, you are required to display the poster in your workplace. Failure to do so is grounds for a citation. To remain compliant, keep the poster displayed in a conspicuous place where all employees can easily see and read it.

Note that states with an OSHA-approved state plan have a special state version of the OSHA poster. Check with your state’s department of labor to see if you have a state-specific version of the poster that replaces the regular poster. In addition, federal agencies must display the Federal Agency poster.

How do I get a copy of the OSHA poster?

You can order a print copy online or by phone. To get the poster online, go to this website. For an English copy, the publication number is 3165. For a Spanish copy, use publication number 3167. To order by phone, call OSHA's toll-free number at 1-800-321-6742. You can also try the OSHA Publications Office at 202-693-1888.

You can also download a copy and print it right in your office. Note that OSHA requires that the poster’s dimensions be 8.5” x 14”.

How much does the OSHA poster cost?

The poster costs nothing. Beware of scams that ask you to pay to receive a copy. You can download and print the poster for free on the OSHA website.

What other posters do I need to display to avoid a fine?

Citations and fines are unnecessary expenditures for businesses.

Avoid costly non-compliance fees in your business by posting the following signage.

• Family and Medical Leave Act Poster
• Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law Poster
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act Notice (EPPA)

These and other displays may be industry-contingent. If you are unsure whether or not you are specifically required to post certain signage, contact the Department of Labor.

Other tips to ensure a safe working environment for your employees

Encourage clean and organized workspaces

OSHA shows that falls are the leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities each year. Keep your employees safe by implementing practices that ensure workstations are kept clean, and that workplace spills and debris are cleared immediately. A little extra attention paid to safety management can reduce the frequency of serious injuries and ensure a safe workplace for all.

Make proper safety procedure a best practice

When employees feel they have to rush to complete a task, they will invariably use shortcuts that could cost them their health or their life. This is especially true in instances where heavy machinery like forklifts or industrial conveyor belts are involved.

Create a safety culture in your business to ensure that your employees know their well-being matters and that they can take the time they need to be safe while completing a project. While the result may take longer than if they hurry, you will likely see fewer workplace injuries, which means less cost and stress for you in the long run.

Implement workplace safety training for new employees

New hires should be taught how to work safely from their first day onward. Create a workplace safety program to ensure they are ready to perform their job in alignment with best safety practices and procedures. In addition, make sure all new employees understand that they are encouraged to report unsafe conditions whenever they encounter them.

Workplace safety tips: Construction

Construction comes with its own specific set of safety needs. Let’s take a look at a few key construction safety tips.

Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE such as hardhats, masks, gloves, earplugs, and protective glasses can go a long way to mitigate health risks in your business. Monitor PPE usage to ensure that all employees do their part to keep themselves and others free from illness as much as possible. Provide ample safety equipment to your employees and keep a backstock in case of emergencies so that you never run out of this important equipment. It is also good to keep multiple first aid kits on the job site for smaller work-related injuries.

Teach proper lifting technique

It’s easy for an employee to throw out their back on the job site by consistently lifting heavy objects with improper form. While you may have some physically strong team members, give them some technical training to go along with that strength. This will help them achieve greater longevity in their role with less pain while also giving you fewer on-the-job injuries.

Create specific rest areas

Appropriate rest areas away from work areas provide proper shade and an opportunity to cool down and keep the job site clear. Employees on a break can be distracting, so be sure to separate the rest area and keep your job site free and clear.

Be aware of the weather

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are common on construction sites. Help your employees beat the heat with shaded rest areas, ample water, and regular breaks.

In wet weather conditions such as rain or snow, ensure that all your employees are equipped with the proper footwear and clothing to stay warm and stable on what could be a very hazardous job site.

Monitor ladders and stairs

Ladders and stairs are common areas where falls occur. To avoid a negligence claim, inspect your ladders, stairs, and scaffolding regularly. Replace anything that seems unstable or unsafe. Do not let workers onto ladders or stairs without the proper PPE.

How get affordable workers’ compensation insurance for your business

Even when you take all possible precautions, workplace accidents can still happen. That’s why workers’ compensation insurance is required for business owners who employ even one person. (Read more about workers’ comp exemptions.)

Workers’ comp protects you in multiple ways in the event of a workers’ comp settlement, should an employee sustain an injury or fall ill on the job. You can quickly and easily get a workers' comp rate estimate with Huckleberry.

Get workers’ comp coverage in a snap with Huckleberry

At Huckleberry, we make it fast and easy to get the business coverage you need to protect your business against a multitude of workplace hazards. If you’re a current or prospective business owner looking to hire employees, get a workers’ comp estimate today.