EDITORIALFEATURE
Small Business Safety
Begins With You
By Dawn Haynes
W
hile I’m glad they’re finally over, I love the
fun and festivity of the holiday season-the shopping, the parties, the presents.
And even though I always feel like the
holidays are one big whirlwind, I like to take a little
time during the season to reflect as I begin the
process of refocusing for the New Year.
Many of you have been in this process of refocusing as well, ushering in 2014 with a renewed
sense of purpose, direction, and enthusiasm. You’ve
been evaluating your business practices to determine what is working and what’s not. It has almost
become second nature to evaluate certain aspects
of your business—accounting, sales, customer service, etc. for places to make refinements—but
when was the last time you evaluated your safety practices? When was the last time you actually
gave them any thought at all?
To be clear, while things like security, violence
prevention, and things of that nature fall under its
auspices, workplace safety is much more encompassing. Here’s some food for thought - Did you
know that something as seemingly insignificant
as workplace incivility is impacting your bottom
line in ways ranging from employee productivity
to your health insurance premiums? The good
news is that you, the small business owner, can
(and should) take control.
To be clear, while things
like security, violence
prevention, and things of
that nature fall under its
auspices, workplace safety is
much more encompassing.
ed parking lot or garage at a time when NO
ONE would see anything if something were
to happen?
3. Am I in the habit of overloading myself with
gear—computer, files, briefcase, etc. in my
day-to-day travels? If you’re not diligent in
these things now, you’re just making yourself
a much easier target.
4. Look at things you may take for granted. If you
work in or frequent an office building, are you
familiar with the on duty security personnel,
what services they offer, and how you may
access them?
5. Does your building have periodic emergency
evacuation drills? If so, are you and your employees participating?
6. Do you have an accountability partner?
These are just a few points to ponder to get you
started. We will devote more time to these and
many other workplace safety issues in the coming months. Start today by looking at your own
Whether you are a solo practitioner or are re- practices and pick just one thing at a time to work
sponsible for over 1,000 employees, small busi- on. Over time, you’ll enjoy the cumulative effect
ness safety begins with you. So start with you. of your efforts not only in your own life but also in
Begin by asking:
the lives of your family and any employees. Wishing you continued small business success—safely!
1. Are the demands of my business placing demands on me and possibly my employees
that may be unnecessarily putting our safety Dawn Haynes, the Toolbox Diva ™, is the principal and lead
trainer for 2EmpowerU (formerly Fight or Flight Self Defense).
at risk?
2. Am I coming in early or staying late in a virtu- You can contact Dawn by email at [email protected], by
ally deserted building and even more desert- phone at 713-298-6301, or visit her website at www.2empowerU.net.
30 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ APRIL 2014 ]