Top 10 health and safety tips to help you!

In this blog, we will discuss the top 10 health and safety tips that you can use in both the workplace and, in some cases, at home. Understand the risks of your environment. Once you know the particular hazards of your environment or workplace, you can take steps to reduce your risk of work-related injury or illness and create personal risk assessments. One way you can do this is by surveying the area for any potential risks that might occur and taking notes on how best to avoid them. Reduce workplace stress. The most common causes of stress in a workplace include long hours, heavy workload, job insecurity and conflicts with colleagues. Stress can lead to depression, sleeping difficulties and problems with concentration, which can then lead to injuries. Reducing stress is especially important if you are working in a heavily industrial work environment with heavy machines that, if not operated correctly, could lead to massive accidents. One way that we recommend to reduce stress is to take steps to ensure that your workers are taken care of both physically and mentally. Take breaks regularly. Staying fresh and alert will help you avoid injuries. Schedule your most difficult tasks of each day for the times when your concentration is at its best, such as first thing in the morning, or just after your lunch break. This doesn?t just increase work efficiency it also makes sure that no one is being overworked thus lowering the risk of any accidents happening. Avoid bad posture and uncomfortable work environments. Make sure your work area is laid out appropriately for your work use. Use ergonomically designed furniture and equipment, and rearrange your work area so that everything you need is within easy reach. Being in a locked position for hours on end can be very damaging to the body leading to problems arising later in life. So finding an appropriate solution to this is a must. Use mechanical aids where possible. Instead of trying to lift or carry heavy objects, use a wheelbarrow, conveyor belt, crane or forklift. If it is available use it. lifting heavy objects Is not only tiring for the employees but it also puts them and their peers at unnecessary risk. If they were to accidentally drop it on themselves or someone else it could cause a serious injury at the workplace that would require immediate first aid. Protect your back and spine. If you do need to pick up and carry heavy loads, keep the load close to your body and lift it with your thigh muscles. This will protect your back from any damage or strains. Back damage can be a very serious injury that in worst cases can lead to paralysis. Knowing how to lift heavy objects is a vital skill for your employees to understand. Wear protective equipment. If worn correctly, gear such as earplugs, earmuffs, hard hat, safety goggles, gloves or full-face mask can dramatically reduce your risk of injury. The reason why protective equipment is created is to protect you from the hazard of that environment. You must use them! Stay sober. Alcohol and drugs are an involved factor in around 3% of workplace fatalities. That may not seem like a lot, but the odds of an incident occurring when a worker is intoxicated or under the influence of drugs drastically go up. It is needless to say that if an employee turns up to work drunk or high they should be immediately turned around and not allowed to work, not only to protect themselves but to also ensure the safety of the other workers. Talk about any concerns. Your employer or human resources manager need to be informed about hazards and risks. Your employer is legally obliged to ensure a safe working environment. Any concerns that you may have do not be afraid to share them with the people that need to know. If you mentioning a particular worry you have about the work environment saves someone?s life further down the line it is well worth it. Know the Laws. Organisations or unions can offer information and advice on workplace safety issues. Reading up on the laws surrounding your workplace gives you a great advantage in the workplace. This way you can recommend different strategies to increase safety both around the work environment and in some cases even at home. If you are interested in learning more about what we do here at ABC Training Services please click here to view more of our blogs.

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