Ensuring your employees’ safety without help can be daunting. That’s why most companies employ experts called site safety representatives. A safety representative’s job is to maximize safety and health in workplaces while following Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) guidelines.
Some companies may choose to hire their site safety representatives from inside their company. However, there are several benefits to hiring a representative who doesn’t already work with you.
3 benefits to hiring an outside site safety representative
On-site safety representatives can be critical to workplace safety. This is because representatives can observe day-to-day operations and brainstorm ways to prevent injuries in real time. Hiring a representative outside your company can be especially helpful to both your workers and your overhead costs. Outside hires comes with a range of benefits, including:
- Objectivity — While hiring an in-house safety representative may seem like a good idea at first, it may limit the objectivity of the position. An in-house safety representative may be accustomed to company practices that could be limiting employee wellness. On the other hand, an outside hire has never worked in your work environment. They are uninvolved in your company’s internal affairs. As a result, they can examine your workplace closely and honestly recognize any gaps in safety training or wellness programming.
- Focus — It can be common for in-house safety representatives to be bogged down by other company responsibilities. Outside hires, however, are often consultants whose sole job is to focus on safety in your workplace. This focus can actually save you money in the long run. The outside representative will be able to devote time and energy to decreasing your injury incidents and decreasing your insurance and workers’ compensation costs.
- Expertise — Professional safety representatives often attend seminars, are well versed in federal and state regulations, and are aware of innovative safety measures at workplaces across the country. As a result, outside-hire safety representatives are experts in their industry. They can host training sessions and campaigns that aim to educate employees about injury prevention and wellness.
Work-Fit can be your site safety representative
Our team at Work-Fit offers exceptional and professional injury prevention, injury management, and wellness programs that can optimize safety in your workspace. We even offer telehealth options that will keep your workers engaged in their safety. Contact our team today for more information about our services.
