Safety in Your New Surroundings

September 1, 2022

Safety in Your New Surroundings

Walking through new surroundings or other areas of the workplace is a common occurrence, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t stay alert. This is particularly true for employees leaving their old, familiar departments and moving into new roles in other areas.

New employees receive instructions regarding training and safety precautions. However, when transitioning roles to another area, it can operate very differently; procedures and equipment may be different and safety precautions may vary as well. Keep reading to learn more about staying safe in a new job role or area of the workplace.

Safety in New Surroundings

Before entering new surroundings, familiarize yourself with any special rules or procedures necessary for your safety. This might mean wearing special personal protective equipment or meeting certain regulations concerning employee actions.

During the transition to your new area, be on guard at corners and close to machinery, and watch for vehicles on the move. Although equipment operators have their own safety regulations to follow, which include watching for pedestrians, be cautious and ready to move.

Look both ways before stepping out into an aisle. In aisles wide enough for truck or other equipment traffic, use extreme caution.

Don’t try to beat an oncoming forklift or other machinery; you could easily misjudge its speed and fall in front of it. Don’t walk while you’re looking in another direction, you could bump into another employee or a machine. If you can’t watch where you’re walking, wait until you can.

Watch out for slip, trip and fall hazards while in new surroundings. Misplaced tools, pieces of materials, products or other objects pose hazards. Keep floors and aisles clear of these dangers.

In addition, do not take shortcuts, regardless of how much time they save. Shortcuts are not approved routes and taking them can cause very serious injuries.

At times, it may be necessary to restrict your admittance to certain areas that have new surroundings. Whether the restrictions are temporary or permanent, don’t enter the area unless authorized to do so.

Safety Precautions

Stay safe when transitioning into a new work environment by remembering these basic safety precautions:

Learn all safety procedures and protocols associated with your new responsibilities.
Watch out for moving equipment.
Look both ways before stepping into an aisle.
Use handrails when necessary.
Keep your eyes open for slip, trip and fall hazards.
Don’t take shortcuts.
Stay out of restricted areas.
Ask for direction regarding unfamiliar safety guidelines.

For more safety tips, talk to your supervisor.