Tag Archives: depression

General Safety Issues

WHAT ARE WORKPLACE INJURIES? HOW CAN THEY BE STOPPED? (GUEST POST)

Accidents can happen in the workplace, we all know that. 600,000 of them happened in the year 2010-2011, over a third of which resulted in an employee taking more than three days off work. What’s more, you’ll be surprised how many accidents in the workplace occur as a result of poor practice from the employer.

Whether in a white-collar environment or a busy warehouse, employers that don’t care for their staff with proper health and safety will invariably see them get hurt – harming morale and costing the business in sick pay and diminished productivity.

What are the most common workplace injuries?

Irresponsible health and safety at work can result in illnesses, injuries and maladies of all shapes and sizes. From fractured limbs and bruising from slips, trips and falls to posture-related back and neck injuries as well as the psychological effects of stress and depression, there’s barely a condition that can’t be contracted at work.

However, because blue-collar workers are traditionally moving around more and exerting themselves more physically than their counterparts in offices, it makes sense that more injuries occur in warehouses, factories and industrial areas than in white-collar locations. According to the Health and Safety Executive in the UK, slips, trips and falls account for more than half of all major injuries and nearly a third of serious over 3-day injuries.

When it comes to fatal injuries, falling from height remains the biggest threat for employees with 40 dying in 2011/12 – again something that affects workers on construction sites and warehouses.

Why do employers neglect health and safety?

There’s no denying that businesses have cleaned up their act over the last 20 years and industrial areas are significantly safer than they were a few decades ago. But there are still employers out there that endanger their staff by flouting their health and safety responsibilities.

Why do employers ignore health and safety? There are a number of reasons. Although it’s tempting to think that injuries arise as a result of prudent penny-pinching businesses, it’s not quite as simple as that. Very often, a serious injury will occur not because a company has neglected to invest the necessary time and money, but because of failed communication or through the fault of individuals.

How to protect employees from injury at work

To be successfully implemented, health and safety in the workplace needs to be dealt with from top to bottom – from senior managers deciding the safest course of action through to supervisors ensuring that the directions are being safely and completely carried out. It also requires full training for all employees – and for all workers to feel comfortable enough to regulate themselves. By letting their seniors know if any work that they’re due to carry out carries a risk they’re not only reducing the risk for themselves at work, but for their colleagues too.

Author – Accident at work solicitors at Hugh James specialise in assisting employees and family members to make a claim if workers were injured on the job. From agricultural and manual handling accidents to slipping and tripping at work and workplace violence, the Hugh James team can help injured workers to receive the compensation they’re due if employers were found to flout their responsibilities.

Our thanks to Ben Magee for sending this article regarding the importance of employers living up to their responsibilities.  Every employee should be well trained, and understand the hazards and risks associated with their particular job description. pb

 

General Safety Issues

PROTECTING OUR YOUTH FROM CYBER BULLYING (GUEST POST)

 Written by Jennifer Stone; Sent by Olivia Lewis

On a platform celebrated for its ability to connect users, insecure adolescents are using the Internet to bully their peers. According to US News.com, cyber law experts estimate that at least 40 percent of high school students have been bullied over the Internet, and middle school students experience an even higher rate. Instances of cyberbullying have led to depression and suicide. While significant initiatives have aimed to end cyberbullying, the complex problem appears to require a demand for a wholesale solution. Until parents and teachers commit to proactively protecting young people, victims will remain largely silent.

There’s no quick fix to changing the culture of cyberbullying, but addressing the problem from different angles is the best chance to send a clear message and care for victims.

Preventative Education

Addressing this issue starts with the public recognition that cyberbullying happens and is not acceptable. Although it seems like a simple concept, having a conversation about it in the class room or around the kitchen table informs those who knowingly bully, those who may not know the harm they cause and victims that cyberbullying is not a private issue and is not tolerated.

A public discussion can also spark actionable ways to prevent Internet antagonizers, such as school-wide or at-home policies for using the computer and responding to attacks.

Anonymous Hotlines

The impersonal nature of the internet can cause cyberbullying victims to feel the urge to brush verbal assault off without telling, but experience shows that victimized teens need an outlet to express their emotions. In cases when victims don’t feel comfortable coming forward, anonymous hotlines have emerged as a useful tool. Cyberbullyhotline.com, for example, relays anonymous tips to the school level, where officials can address the situation on a more personal level.

Users can protect their identities and protect themselves from getting bullied through a hacked account by visiting Lifelock on Facebook, and now bullying victims can protect psyches. By spreading the word about these anonymous hotlines, more uncomfortable victims will be able to take action against their circumstances.

Open Lines of Communication

While anonymous hotlines offer some support to cyberbullying victims, they need to feel more comfortable reporting the instances in order to achieve a significant decrease in online verbal assault. To feel comfortable describing their experience, victims must trust that the listener has their best interest in mind. Whether it’s a parent, teacher or mentor, students won’t feel inclined to make themselves vulnerable unless they can do so in confidence, with the assurance that the people they tell will react accordingly.

Clear Consequences

Whether it’s on a playground or on Facebook, misguided bullies will continue to put others down unless authority figures react as if it’s not acceptable. If a bully punches an unassuming peer on the school yard, school officials would apply an appropriate punishment. Likewise, the Internet bullies must face consequences for verbal attacks. Parents have the best opportunity to monitor their children’s online behavior, whether it be by keeping the computer in a common room or “friending” their children on social media platforms.

Schools can take action, too. By defining a set of consequences for on-campus cyberbullying, schools send a message that they consider any form of abuse toward another student unacceptable.

General Safety Issues

DO YOU WORK WITH SOMEONE WITH THE “HOLIDAY BLUES?”

It’s a reality that some of us are just not in the best of moods during the holidays.  There can be many reasons for this, but sometimes, celebratory occasions bring out sadness in individuals.  I enjoy the holidays and look forward to being with my family, but at the beginning of the season, I always think of my parents, who passed away several years ago.  My dad loved Christmas; when we would decorate the tree, he put on the Christmas “records”, yes, records, and some of the Christmas music we listened to is still popular today.  He got so much pleasure out of doing all the things that made our Christmas special.  And, he could make delicious fudge!

It is normal to feel grief for those we have lost.  But there are those who suffer from depression all year long, and certain times of the year make them even bluer.  Depression is an illness; it can cause physical pain as well as emotional stress.  You and I can’t cure someone that suffers from this illness; it requires professional help.  But we can be more attentive to our surroundings and watch for signs that our work friend may be having a more difficult time in performing his/her duties.  They could be struggling with relationships or physical demands that we are not aware of.  Sometimes the season alone can be the reason their feelings are magnified.  If you know someone who may be depressed, do what you can to encourage him to trust his healthcare provider for professional help.  It is important that they stay on medications and call their provider if symptoms get worse.  

If there are parties after work for the employees to get together, don’t encourage anyone to consume alcohol if they are “down in the dumps.”  Alcohol is a depressant.  Excessive drinking only increases feelings of depression, so this is important for all of us to remember, whether we are with our work friends or other acquaintances. 

During these economic times, folks are doing their best to furnish what gifts they are able to give without extending their budget too far.  Keep track of holiday spending.  If you overspend, you will be pretty depressed when the bills arrive.  Most of the time, people are perfectly happy with the gifts they receive and don’t equate them with dollar signs.  Over-commercialization can be another reason for feeling blue.  Every year, we see the commercials about the brand new luxury car in the driveway, with a big, red ribbon on it!  Let’s get real, folks!  I know they want to sell cars, but I can’t help but think about families who don’t have a home or a job, or may be living in their cars. 

Please use some of these tips to help someone you know that may be struggling with the holidays:

  • Find some activities that are free, and take them out for an afternoon of just “window shopping” or treat them to a funny movie.
  • Take your lunch break together, and listen, if they just want to talk.
  • Volunteering is a great way to help and get to know others, and may be just “what the doctor ordered” to get him/her involved with something different.
  • Encourage them to look to the future with optimism.
  • Trying a new activity just might be the thing to make one feel better.
  • Suggest getting in touch with old friends or family members.
  • Enjoy the present.
  • Spend time with caring and supportive people. 

You are very blessed if you haven’t hit a low spot at one time or another in your lifetime.  For those who seem to be in that low spot most of the time, there is help.  If a person’s work is affected, if they are present in body but not spirit, if they show signs of fatigue or stress, we need to be their advocates.  We need to encourage them to seek professional guidance, in order to get better.  (They need to know they can get better!)  Many companies offer counseling for their employees, and want to help them cope.  They know that if their employees are in better mental and physical condition, there will be less risk of workplace injuries.  We all know the chance for accidents is greater when we feel fatigued or “just not ourselves.” 

Too many times we are so wrapped up in our own job, that we overlook someone who needs help but may be too proud to ask for it.  Don’t let anyone have a “Blue Christmas” without you.  Be there for your family, coworkers, and friends.  You may need a lift someday, too.