Spotting Red Flags: Signs Of An Unsafe Work Environment

If your job has a high turnover rate, there’s likely a good reason. Some jobs aren’t satisfying, don’t pay enough, or cause high stress. Some jobs are naturally stressful, particularly in fast-paced or customer-oriented jobs. However, employers should take extra measures to ensure safety and adequate support during stressful times. Employees frequently resign or quit when support isn’t strong enough. If you’re among a long line of people who have worked in your role or company, you may want to start thinking about why that is.

It may not be the best sign if an employer constantly expects you or other team members to work overtime, holidays, and weekends. Offering voluntary overtime can be expected, but a good employer will value a robust work-life balance. Employers should care that you spend time with your family or at home. Too much work can impact productivity and work quality. Overworking employees usually means they have not hired enough or do not care about employee workloads—either way, it’s not ideal.

Burnout can share symptoms of overworking. It refers to intense, prolonged physical and mental exhaustion due to inadequate work-life balance. Burnout can be caused by working too many hours, having a large workload, or dealing with particularly stressful work without support. Taking breaks, rest days, and enjoying life outside of work are vital ways to prevent and heal burnout, but there is little opportunity for this in a hazardous working environment. It may not be a good sign if you or other people frequently experience burnout in your company.

If you constantly wonder what is happening or who you’re supposed to report to, your employer has not sufficiently communicated the role and company policies. Employers should update team members whenever there is an update or issue. Further, employers should check in on their team and company to ensure things are running smoothly and employees are not experiencing trouble. If employers aren’t communicative, productivity can slow, and work quality can dip.

A workplace can expect to experience a missing helmet or safety vest from time to time, but there should always be an adequate backup supply in case of emergencies. If your safety equipment has been missing parts or pieces for a long time, there is a severe safety issue. Protective gear is the primary line of defense employees have against hazards; if employers can’t supply or keep track of these items, the work environment is likely hazardous for other reasons, too.

Safety hazards can happen in any work environment. Employees should be well prepared and trained for any safety hazards or concerns and how to do the job safely. If the training protocol isn’t sufficient, more accidents will occur, resulting in company downtime, worker injuries, and environmental hazards. If you weren’t adequately trained on what to do during an emergency, you’re likely not in a safe working environment.

Workplaces should do all they can to mitigate workplace injuries, accidents, and illnesses. If you or your coworkers frequently deal with injuries, accidents, or work-related diseases, then you’re likely not being adequately cared for.

Do you know what to do during any type of emergency in your workplace, such as a fire, hazardous weather, a crime, a gas leak, or a chemical spill? If not, you haven’t been adequately trained or informed of emergency protocols. Emergency protocols are severe, and employers must do all they can to ensure they’re understood.

Perhaps your boss likes to ‘be your friend,’ so rules are lax. Work environments do not need to be tyrannical, but safety rules are fundamental. If safety rules are frequently broken or ignored, the employer risks your life. Rule enforcement should not be mean or harsh but strict to prevent injury or harm.