Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe work place and adopting a Workplace Safety Program to protect workers from job hazards. But employers are not the only ones responsible for safety on the job  workers have responsibilities for maintaining a safe workplace as well. Do you know your safety responsibilities?

Know and follow all of your employer’s health and safety rules such as safe work practices and standard operating procedures. Be familiar with the OSHA safety requirements that regulate your industry. These regulations and guidelines are designed to educate and protect you from hazards and injuries on the job. Know the emergency and evacuation procedures and the location of emergency equipment on your jobsite; clear thinking and immediate action in an emergency can save lives.

Attend all of the safety training that your employer offers. Training helps you identify job hazards and take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself and co-workers. Never operate equipment unless you have been properly trained. Read and understand the material safety data sheet (SDS) and know the hazards and safe work practices for all of the chemicals that you work with. If you have a question about equipment, a chemical, or a process, ask your supervisor – taking a chance at work can mean taking a chance with your life.

You are responsible for the safety of your own actions while on the job. Conduct yourself professionally and with your mind on your own safety and the safety of others at all times; the workplace is no place for horseplay or lack of attention. Serve as a good role model to co-workers for safe work practices and behavior. Maintain your personal work area and common areas in a clean and orderly manner; good housekeeping means a safer workplace. Always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) required for your job tasks.

Talk with your Foreman about safety. If you have a suggestion to make a process or equipment safer, speak up! No one knows your job and tools better than you. Immediately warn co-workers and notify your foreman of any malfunctioning equipment, hazardous conditions, and unsafe behavior in the workplace – someone’s life may depend on it. All accidents and near-misses should also be reported to your supervisor because investigating these incidents can lead to a safer environment. If you have a job-related injury or illness, promptly report it to your employer and seek appropriate treatment.

When you share the responsibility for safety in the workplace, everyone wins.