According to OSHA, on average more than 14 U.S. workers die on the job every day. That equates to more than 99 work-place related deaths every day, and over 5,000 work-place related deaths each year. Regardless of your occupation, workplace safety should be a top priority to both you and your employer. Below are 5 workplace safety tips that apply to all workplaces.
Prevent Fall Down Accidents.
Even if an employer selects adequate flooring, surfaces can still become slippery and dangerous when messes aren’t cleaned properly. Employees should always report spills right away and ensure walkways aren’t cluttered with items that could cause someone to trip. Employers should maintain a regimented cleaning schedule and address any damaged flooring right away.
Get enough sleep!
Drowsiness in the workplace can be extremely dangerous. Your body responds to a lack of sleep much like it responds to alcohol, your judgment can be impaired, reaction time slowed, and ability to concentrate diminished. Employers should refrain from scheduling employees on back-to-back shifts, and must give employees breaks as mandated by State Law.
Reduce stress.
Stress can wreak havoc on your body physically and emotionally and may interfere with your ability to perform in the workplace. Simple things like starting your day earlier (to avoid a hectic morning commute), organizing your workstation, wearing comfortable shoes, and focusing on one item at a time as opposed to multitasking will help to reduce workplace stress.
Avoid the urge to take shortcuts.
If you’re feeling pressure at work to get a lot done in a short period of time you may be tempted to take shortcuts. Remember that procedures exist for a reason, and are often designed to maintain a safe environment.
Use your voice.
If your workplace is unsafe tell your supervisor right away.
“The only way to stop unsafe conditions from happening is to report them to supervisors as soon as you notice them and help be part of the solution. Your supervisor is legally obligated to provide all employees with a safe working environment, and will take care of any unsafe conditions, but they have to be aware of those conditions to do so. It’s important to always report any hazardous situation or unsafe condition as soon as possible, to keep yourself and other employees safe.
Work together to find a solution to prevent the unsafe condition from occurring again in the future.”-eSafety.com
If you or a loved one were hurt on the job, contact us today for a free case evaluation.