Workplace safety and healthcare safety training and maintenance are important concerns for employers and employees alike. Employers must abide by provincial and federal occupational health and safety laws, protecting workers from potential workplace hazards. Similarly, employees must adhere to their employers’ safety rules and regulations.
During daily tasks and activities, it is not uncommon for workplace accidents to occur. These accidents can result in cuts, bruises, or more severe injuries like broken bones and concussions.
Therefore, everyone, on a personal level, must take responsibility for their safety while at work. Here are a few tips to stay safe and healthy in the workplace:
Know the Risks You’re Exposed To:
Each job has its own set of potential risks and hazards. You must be aware of the risks you are exposed to in your particular job. For instance, if you’re a construction worker, you may have to work at height, operate heavy-duty machinery, use platform ladders, or work with hazardous materials. If you’re aware of the risks at your workplace, you can take the necessary precautions to avoid potential accidents. If you do have an accident however, it is important to know that workers compensation lawyers, like those at Matt Fendow Law Group in Phoenix, or elsewhere – can help you get the support and compensation you need if it wasn’t your fault.
Wear the Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment:
Depending on your job type, you may be required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). PPEs may differ from occupation to occupation or task to task. For instance, a construction worker might need particular type of safety gloves from unigloves.com. Other workers may wear a hard hat, safety goggles, and a harness. In contrast, a construction worker exposed to asbestos may be required to wear a respirator, and coveralls.
You must learn more about working conditions like asbestos exposure and other airborne contaminants.
Reduce Stress Levels: Work-related stress is a part of your job that wasn’t highlighted in your job description. Statista conducted research in 2017 that highlighted interpersonal relationships, excessive workload, work-life balance, and job security as the significant causes of stress at work.
Stress can lead to several health problems, such as anxiety, depression, heart disease, and stroke. You can eliminate work-related stress by communicating effectively with your co-workers and superiors, taking regular breaks, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Always Eat Healthily:
Sometimes we get so involved in the work that we forget to care for ourselves. From skipping meals to continually sitting in one place, there are some unhealthy habits that we can develop over time. Eating healthy foods helps boost our immune system, enabling us to fight off illnesses. You can keep healthy snacks at your desk, such as fruits and nuts, to avoid getting Hangry (angry because you’re hungry) throughout the day. You must also limit caffeine intake by maintaining a distance from your office’s coffee maker.
Exercise Regularly:
Most desk jobs require us to sit in front of a computer for most of the day. While this may be good for our productivity, it’s not so great for our health. To offset the adverse effects of sitting all day, it’s essential to exercise regularly. Exercise helps to improve our cardiovascular health, increase our lifespan, and improve our mood. You don’t have to go to the gym to get a good workout; there are several exercises you can do right at your desk. How about flexing your wrists to relieve tension or taking a brisk walk around the office every couple of hours?
Stay Hydrated:
Do you have a tiny succulent at your desk that you religiously water daily? Well, you should be doing the same for yourself! Our bodies are made up of 60% water, so we must stay hydrated throughout the day. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and dizziness, affecting your productivity at work. Always keep a water bottle at your desk, and drink eight glasses of water daily. You can also get the trending water bottles with labeled time markers to help you drink water at regular intervals.
Maintain Good Relationships:
Many people talk about physical health concerns and solutions. What goes unnoticed is the emotional turmoil that comes with certain job positions. Maintaining positive relationships with your co-workers can significantly impact your emotional health. According to the Mayo Clinic, strong social support helps to reduce stress and anxiety. If you don’t have a good relationship with your co-workers, try reaching out and getting to know them better. Offer to help with tasks or projects, and be open and honest with them.
Maintain a Clean Working Station:
You might not think a clean desk can impact your health, but it does. A cluttered and messy workstation can lead to higher levels of stress. A Princeton University Neuroscience Institute study
found that a cluttered environment can lead to higher levels of Cortisol, the stress hormone. And we have already highlighted the dangers of stress in the workplace. To avoid this, try to keep your desk as clean and organized as possible. You can use a desk organizer or, if you’re feeling ambitious, try the Marie Kondo method and declutter your whole office.
Conclusion:
Workplace health and safety measures are essential to follow for each one of us. We spend about 35 hours per week at work, which means that the workplace dramatically impacts our physical, mental, and emotional health. If you want to give your best at work, start by taking care of yourself. Organizations don’t prefer liabilities, so constant health issues may result in being laid off. Simply put, a healthy employee is a productive employee.
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