Is your workplace as safe as you think? 7 questions worth asking

Posted on 3rd Sep, 2026 | By Isobel

A workplace can look safe and well organised at first glance, but good workplace safety goes much further than keeping floors clear and equipment tidy. 

Every day, employees lift and move items, use tools and equipment, work at height and carry out tasks that have become so familiar they barely think twice about them. It’s often these everyday activities where habits develop and important safety considerations can be overlooked. 

Taking a fresh look at how work is actually being carried out can help you identify where additional knowledge, training or simply a reminder of good practice may be useful. 

Here are seven questions worth asking in your workplace…

1. Are ladders and steps being used correctly?

Ladders and stepladders are familiar pieces of equipment in many workplaces, which can make them easy to take for granted. 

Whether someone is reaching stock, carrying out maintenance or completing a quick job above ground level, it’s worth considering whether they know how to select, set up and use the equipment appropriately. 

Are people taking a moment to assess the task before getting started? Are they checking equipment before use? And are they avoiding habits such as overreaching or using unsuitable equipment simply because it happens to be nearby? 

Ladder and Steps Awareness training can help employees build their understanding and confidence so that safer working practices become part of the everyday routine?

2. Are employees thinking about how they lift and move things?

Manual handling isn’t limited to warehouses or particularly heavy loads. Moving boxes, carrying equipment, shifting deliveries and repositioning materials can all form part of an ordinary working day. 

Because these jobs are so routine, it’s easy for people to get into the habit of simply picking something up and getting on with it. 

Encouraging employees to think about the task before they begin — including the load, where it needs to go and whether assistance may be required — can help make manual handling a more considered part of the working day. 

Appropriate Manual Handling training can give teams practical knowledge they can apply to the tasks they regularly carry out.

3. Is work at height being properly considered?

Working at height can cover more workplace activities than people initially realise. 

It might be changing something above head height, accessing shelving, carrying out maintenance or completing a task using access equipment. What looks like a quick, straightforward job can still require some thought before work begins. 

Rather than automatically reaching for the nearest piece of equipment, employees should be encouraged to consider the task, their surroundings and the most appropriate way to access the area. 

Working at Height training can help teams better understand the considerations involved and encourage a more thoughtful approach to tasks carried out above ground level.

4. Would everyone know what to do if someone was injured?

Hopefully, your workplace first aid arrangements are rarely needed. But if something does happen, employees should know how to respond. 

Would your team know who the trained first aiders are? Do they know how to get help? And do you have people with appropriate first aid training available when they are needed? 

These are easy questions to overlook during a normal working day, particularly if there hasn’t been an incident for a long time. 

Taking the time to review your arrangements and keeping First Aid training up to date can help ensure the right knowledge is there when it matters. 

5. Are tools and equipment being used with the right knowledge?

Familiarity with a tool doesn’t necessarily mean someone has received appropriate training in how to use it. 

This is particularly worth considering with equipment such as abrasive wheels, where employees need the right knowledge and practical understanding for the work they are carrying out. 

Think about who regularly uses equipment within your workplace. Have they received relevant training? Are there newer members of the team who may need additional guidance? Have working practices or equipment changed since training was originally completed? 

Making training part of the conversation helps prevent knowledge from simply being assumed.

6. Are new starters getting the training they need?

Starting a new job involves taking in a huge amount of information, from learning where everything is to understanding new processes and getting to know the team. 

Safety training needs to form part of that introduction too. 

Even if somebody has carried out similar work elsewhere, it shouldn’t automatically be assumed that their previous experience covers everything they need to know in their new role. 

Looking at the tasks they’ll actually be carrying out can help you identify relevant training needs from the beginning, whether that involves manual handling, access equipment, working at height, first aid or other areas of workplace safety. 

It also helps establish from day one that safety is an everyday part of how your organisation works.

7. When was your team’s training last refreshed?

Training shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as something that happens once and is then forgotten about. 

Over time, people can develop different ways of doing things. Teams change, responsibilities evolve and equipment or working practices may be updated. Even knowledge that was once second nature can become less familiar if it isn’t used regularly. 

It’s therefore worth periodically taking a fresh look at the training your team has completed and considering whether there are areas where knowledge would benefit from being refreshed. 

The aim isn’t to create training for the sake of it. It’s to make sure employees have relevant knowledge and practical skills for the work they’re expected to carry out. 

Keep workplace safety front of mind 

Good workplace safety is shaped by the decisions people make every day. 

It’s taking a moment before lifting an awkward item. It’s choosing appropriate access equipment instead of simply using whatever is closest. It’s checking equipment before starting a task and feeling comfortable speaking up when something doesn’t look right. 

Training is one part of building those habits, giving employees knowledge they can take back into the workplace and apply to the jobs they actually do. 

Browns Safety Services provides a wide range of workplace training courses to help businesses build their teams’ knowledge, confidence and practical skills. From Ladder & Steps Awareness and Manual Handling to Working at Height, Abrasive Wheels, First Aid and access equipment training, there are courses available to support a variety of workplace needs. 

Whether you’re training new starters, refreshing existing knowledge or looking to strengthen safety awareness across your team, explore the range of training available from Browns Safety Services or call 01282 615517 to discuss your requirements.