Tag Archives: adequate lighting

Ergonomics, General Safety Issues

WORKROOM IMPROVEMENTS TO PROMOTE LEARNING (GUEST POST)

 Learning should never be confined in the four corners of the classroom. As long as people live, they will seek intelligence. As Aristotle said, “all men by nature desire knowledge.” After graduating, people depend on their work to satisfy their desire for knowledge. How they perform in their companies, have an effect on how much they boost their cognitive ability.

But how can their jobs be conducive to learning if their workroom does not promote better work performance? Ergonomics has a lot to say on this. Various studies show that cognitive performance is linked to environmental design and human factors.

Few renovations and improvements can help employees do better in their jobs and satisfy their desire for knowledge. To help you, here are a few ergonomic tips that ignite learning in a working environment:

Workroom Layout

During a busy day at the office, do you find yourself going from the printer, copy machine and back to your station and feel easily worn-out? You’ll never perform well if your workroom is not fit to human factors. Every important tools should be convenient to reach. Otherwise, it can limit people’s action and interrupt work flow. Tables and chairs should also fit the height of the user to avoid posture problems. Adequate space under the workstation is important to leave room for the feet to relax.

Room Design

Why do you think Google, one of the best companies to work for is very appealing among job seekers? It’s because everyone loves to work in a working environment that promotes fun, creativity and learning. Just imagine working in office like of Google. For sure, you will feel inspired to go to work every day.

But not all are as rich as Google. To get the same effect, apply visual ergonomics in your workroom. A well designed room helps promote learning and better performance. According to the color of psychology, green represents energy, power and rejuvenation. It is known to help people avoid eye-strain because of its soothing effect. Paint this color on your walls, or add green accents, like fresh plants to get your employees inspired to work.

Lighting

Productivity is related to light condition. Wrong light system can cause eye-strain and eventually, physical exhaustion. Monitor glare is the major roots of eye fatigue so light source should be ceiling suspended and does not directly hit the work station. To control light from an outside source, use a window blind or shade. No matter how visually pleasing the lights in your office are, if it is too dark or light that you squint to properly see what you are working at, it won’t do much in boosting productivity.

Eye-to-screen Distance

Your computer monitor emits light. This also causes eye-strain. Ergonomics tells you to keep a safe distance from your monitor when working in front of the computer for long hours. How far is far? Well it is hard to tell, but experts suggest that users have to avoid getting closer than the resting point of vergence (RPV). This is the point when the eyesight projected in both retinas are almost the same. It is the safe zone to avoid double images and eye fatigue. Farther is better! but make sure that you are comfortable reading the texts. In the end, it is in your judgment to tell, which distance fits your work condition. You have to consider the screen and font size.

Task Design

Cognitive growth in workplace is associated to the amount of task that people do, and amount of resting period they get. That is why tasks should be properly designed to fit the human condition. If there are too much workload, employees should get ample break to regain energy. Managers are responsible in keeping the productivity of their workers by knowing their capabilities and limitations. Enough social interaction is also healthy, to perform better at work.

Why do you think employees often use “lack of growth” in their resignation letters? That is because they don’t feel growing in terms of experience, performance and knowledge. Work performance is linked to employee’s cognitive development. To make employees learn new things, you have to promote productivity in a workroom.

Although ergonomics is not the sole reason for human intellectual growth, the tips above can help promote learning in a working environment. 

Author’s Bio

Ethan Harvell is a blogger and writer for a corporate magazine. He has also contributed articles for different newsletters in various websites. He gets most of his writing experience from bestessays, a writing company, where he is currently employed.

Ergonomics, Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

INTERESTING OFFICE SAFETY TIPS (GUEST POST)

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Ensuring office safety is a serious thing. As an office is a place housing hundreds to thousands of employees, business owners and managers must consider office safety a high priority. They should create a safe workplace for their employees, implementing safety mandates and ensure a hazard-free office environment. 

Ergonomics

Heard about this term before? For those who have no idea what ergonomics is, it is a science which main concern is between workers and their environment. It looks at how employees do their work and ensure body safety of the employees when doing such work. We can basically say that ergonomics protects and prevents employees from strain and injury. 

In a workplace, for example, an employee must be provided with a desk and a chair that he or she can adjust to her body size. He or she should be able to sit straight and comfortably when working. For the flooring, a special padded rubber mat that absorbs shock is needed if a worker must stand while doing his or her work. These things may seem unimportant but provide protection and prevent casualties in a workplace. 

Housekeeping

It is a normal scene in restaurants and fast-food chains to see cleaners put on warning signs when the floor is wet to prevent accidents. This should be done also in offices where a worker could trip or fall. General housekeeping must be safely done both by directing janitorial crews to clearly mark wet floor areas and in-house electricians to prevent damaged cords out in the open. It is recommended that office cleaning be scheduled when most workers are out of the office. 

Fire Hazards

Fire hazards pose a big danger in the workplace. Professional should regularly check both the computer systems, as well as electrical systems.  Workers should be warned about the dangers of overloading single outlets and using too many extension cords. Offices must run regular fire drills and develop  a fire escape plan for employees. 

Lighting

Employees who spend most of their working time in front of a computer are more prone to getting headaches and eyestrain, sometimes caused by either too much lighting from sun or inadequate light fixtures.  This problem can be avoided by placing computer monitors in appropriate positions. Cornell University Ergonomics Web recommends that the computer be positioned directly in front of the user and the lighting isn’t too bright. To block the sun’s rays, shades should be provided by the company. 

Seating

Many employees develop sciatic pain in their backs and legs from hours of sitting. Our bodies were not designed to be in a seated position for a long time. Workers can avoid this problem by taking several break periods though the day. Employees should stand up and move around the office as much as they are permitted. Aside from using ergonomic chairs, employees can do arm and neck stretching and other simple exercises while in the workplace. 

AUTHOR BIO 

Shiela Flakes works as a Research Associate for help.plagtracker.com. Aside from doing research, she also does writing and editing consultations to many different people. Reach Shiela through her Google+.ele

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Hearing Protection

TOP TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE DOING DIY PROJECTS THIS WINTER (GUEST POST)

 

DIY-Safety-kid 

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/criminalintent

 

DIY is something that most of us will tackle at some point or another around the home. Yet, if not done carefully, it can result in accidents and injuries, and is one of the top reasons for a visit to hospital. With winter in full force, this time of year can pose further challenges for DIY enthusiasts, so read on for some top tips to stay DIY safe this winter. 

Always read instructions 

There’s always so much to do in the run up to special guests or holidays;  a growing to-do list, you might want to tackle those neglected DIY projects in time for the festive season. However, no matter what DIY job you tackle, always make sure you are fully prepared and equipped with the right tools for the job. Read instructions and understand what needs to be done. Accidents may well occur if you’re in a rush to get things checked off your list. 

Let there be light 

Natural light levels are low in wintertime, so make sure that you tackle any DIY tasks with sufficient extra lighting. If you can’t see what you’re doing properly, then you may end up banging a nail into your finger, instead of the wall! 

Be careful using ladders 

No matter what time of year you use ladders, it’s always important to be safe and careful when using them. In winter, using ladders outdoors can pose more of a compromise to safety, especially if your boots are muddy making the steps slippery. Don’t go up a ladder in windy weather, either. If there’s a problem that needs fixing, for instance with your roof, then call a professional out. 

Electrical awareness 

We’re prone to wetter and windier weather in winter, so if you need to do any DIY work in the garden involving the use of electrical items, make sure that you don’t operate them on a wet day. Electricity and water don’t mix, and could result in a nasty electric shock. 

Don’t mess with gas 

During winter we are reliant on our boilers to keep us warm and provide hot water. If your boiler conks out on the coldest day of the year, don’t be tempted to tamper around with it, in an effort to get it up and running again. Messing with gas can be very dangerous, especially for the amateur DIYer, so it’s always worth calling out a professional if your boiler does end up letting you down. 

Wear protective equipment 

Don’t cut corners with any DIY tasks by not protecting yourself. Make sure your eyes, ears, hands or feet are protected for the particular DIY tasks that you are undertaking. 

Lifting heavy objects 

Many people like to have a makeover or shift furniture around as the different seasons change.  If you need to lift, move or carry anything at home, make sure that you do it safely and don’t cause injury to your back in the process. Get help to carry items, if needs be. The last thing you’ll want is to spend your time laid up in bed with a back injury because you were too impatient to get your DIY tasks done, or didn’t ask for help. 

A lover of all things DIY, Justine writes for one of the UK’s leading online suppliers of high quality tools and machinery – Tool Orders UK.

 

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

A SAFER JOBSITE: ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LIGHTING (GUEST POST)

Construction and mining jobs are among the most dangerous occupations worldwide. Each year thousands of injuries and accidents relating to machine and equipment operation are reported, making the fatality rate for this industry higher than the national average across all industries. According to the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics though, this situation is slowly improving. 

Despite the improving record however, both construction and mining sites are still accident prone environments where lives are constantly at risk. In the US, nearly 6.5 million people work across different construction sites every day so keeping workers and pedestrians safe are the number one priority. Adequate illumination and the use of proper lighting equipment on the site plays an important role in reducing the hazards associated with the line of work. 

While companies are taking steps to improve work safety for their employees, they are also taking bigger steps to reduce the environmental footprint. We look at how mobile lighting influences a safer jobsite and its ‘green’ impression.   

Lighting Amount

A key factor to consider for construction and mining jobsites is the amount of light that is required by the state standards and Occupational Health and Safety guidelines. The American National Standards Institute has specific requirements about what is considered “safe lighting” for worksites that needs to be abided by. Most light tower manufacturers can also help with this information, but the requirements need to be determined before you know which tower can get the job done right. 

Lighting Position

Sufficient lighting though isn’t enough to fulfill a safe jobsite, it’s just as important to position and adjust the light towers correctly. There are a number of ways to make lights less invasive and companies can manufacture towers with a softer glare, but ensuring they aren’t ‘blinding’ workers or creating a glare hazard for nearby motorists is essential.

Visor shields can normally be offered by manufacturers to provide protection while still giving adequate brightness, or some tower models can allow for the lights to be aimed directly down. When positioning lighting towers, it’s vital the light isn’t shined into a person’s eyes and becomes a safety issue – these applications to prevent the light from blinding those on or near the jobsite is critical.  Certain types of safety glasses can adjust automatically to protect from glare as needed.

Environmental Safety

Nearly as much of a concern as the safety of workers, the environmental welfare is becoming an increasingly widespread decision. For lighting towers on larger or especially remote and hard to access jobsites, it’s beneficial for them to have a greater fuel capacity to help prevent spills. This will also reduce the amount of times the lighting tower will need to be serviced, allowing significant cost savings and eco-friendliness. 

LED Lighting Towers – A Healthier Approach

This ‘green’ epidemic has led an increasing number of construction and mining companies to make the switch to LED lighting towers. LED lighting towers offer benefits for worksite safety, cost savings and environmental concerns.

As fuel capacity is major consideration, replacing a standard lighting tower with an LED one can save your company tons of litres of fuel and money.  Typically they cost more to purchase but are more power efficient with a longer life expectancy, ultimately saving you more. 

As opposed to Metal Halide lights which can take up to five– ten minutes to start and restrike, LEDs are instant and provide a better colour rendition making them extremely useful when dealing with electric wiring.

When it comes to the safety of workers, passer-by’s, and the environmental compliance innovations are always being driven to continuously meet the requirements with confidence.  Safety features are standard, but going the extra measure to incorporate environmental friendly lighting will ensure a safer jobsite all around. 

Author Bio

This article is written by Jayde Ferguson who writes for  AllightSykes, one of the world’s largest suppliers of lighting towers; designed, engineered and built in Australia to meed the world’s toughest standards.