Let’s face it, most workplaces have potential hazards. If you work in a warehouse, you need to make sure you don’t hurt yourself trying to lift something that’s too heavy. If you work in an office, you run the risk of developing carpal tunnel, eye strain, or neck and lower back pain due to repetitive tasks. If you work at a restaurant or in retail and you’re on your feet all day, you run the risk of developing foot- or leg-related injuries. In an industrial kitchen, you need to stay clear of accidents involving knives or heat!
For today’s blog, we’ve decided to compile a brief list of key ways you can prevent on-the-job injuries to ensure they don’t even happen! Read on to learn how to make your workplace a safer space.
Take As Much Safety Training As You Can!
Whatever safety training is offered to you, take it! Never think of it as a waste of time. On the contrary; these sessions are designed to protect you from any dangers that may be present at work, whether they’re obvious ones or they’re hidden.
Certain jobs are more hazardous than others, and in these, your employer may require you to take safety training. Be thankful that workplace safety training is being offered to you.
In some workplaces, safety training is not offered, but you could still benefit from it. In these instances, ask your employer to offer job safety courses or sessions. If your employer refuses, be sure to do safety training on your own. It’s that important.
Perform An Ergonomic Workplace Assessment
Regardless of the environment you’re in, you can likely benefit from an ergonomics assessment. Such an assessment can help you in the following ways:
- Determine areas that need improvement for your physical wellbeing;
- Help you figure out what specific changes you need to make for your benefit (such as, repositioning your keyboard or computer monitor);
- Identify areas that are negatively affecting you (such as, too much noise, climate-controlled air blowing down forcefully on you, or area lighting being too bright or too dim); and
- Determine how the physical demands or restrictions of your work are affecting your posture.
Once the assessment has been completed and problem areas have been identified, you and your employer can begin to come up with solutions. Changes may include getting you the right safety equipment to use, reconfiguring your workstation to reduce physical demands, or simply providing a chair or stool so you don’t have to stand all day long.
Improvements are always possible, and if this means greater comfort and less strain and pain for you, both you and your employer will benefit. When you feel better physically, you’re apt to be more productive, something your employer will be happy about.
Perform A Visual Inspection
Whether you’ve been at your job for years, or you’re brand new at your workplace, it’s never too late to perform a visual inspection to determine what dangers may be present right in front of your eyes.
You may never have noticed before the tripping hazard that electric cords are creating around your workspace, or the precarious way that boxes are piled around you. Take a moment to visually inspect your area and pinpoint any potential safety issues. Once you’ve made your list, take care of what you can yourself, and get your manager or your building supervisor to address and fix all the other issues in a timely manner.
Help Your Coworkers
If your powers of observation are better than most of your coworkers’, help them out! Take a look around you at areas beyond your own workspace. What hazards can you find? Make a list. Depending on the workplace culture, decide whether to inform your coworkers directly of these dangers or bring them to the attention of a manager. Perhaps you can do both.
Take Enough Quality Breaks
Don’t overlook the importance of taking breaks for your wellbeing! In just about any line of work, most workers feel refreshed and re-energized when they take quality breaks. Even a short stretching break can do wonders for your body, mind, and outlook. When you feel refreshed, you’re less likely to make mistakes that can put you or your coworkers in danger.
Turn To Colorado In Motion If You Need Help
At Colorado In Motion, we care about the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our clients and the residents of Northern Colorado. Our services are designed to improve the physical health and function of everyone who seeks our services. In addition to offering quality physical and occupational therapy care to individuals of all ages, including children, Colorado In Motion provides industrial health services, applying the fundamentals of occupational health and safety training for injury prevention. We invite you to contact us to learn more!