Tag Archives: Work Safety

General Safety Issues

Invest in Health and Safety at Work and Reap the Benefits

Most business owners just focus on productivity and implementing new strategies to make their employees work harder. This approach may be efficient in the short-term but will soon fail. After all, your employees are people, not robots. If you want to invest in your company’s productivity and quality of service, you need to meet your employee’s basic needs. In other words, you need to make sure there are no risks of getting hurt or sick on the job. 

1. Come up with a procedure 

You should always work towards preventing health and safety issues from ever happening, but sometimes that’s simply impossible. In these scenarios, it’s important to have a coherent plan of action. Coming up with a procedure for dealing with these emergencies will help minimize the consequences and return business as usual as soon as possible.

This all implies you should know exactly what to do in cases of fires or other work emergencies. What you’ll do depends on the type of venue your workplace is at and its location. It might be a good idea to ask a professional for help in planning or to hire someone to do that job for you. You can even have a first aid technician on the worksite present at all times.

2. Maintain your facilities

Regardless of where you’re doing your business, you need to pay attention to the state of your facilities. This is especially true if you’re in an old building with a weakened structure. Old pipes, crevices, and spaces between the walls can all be potential risks for injury or disease. This is because pests will have easy access to your workers.Whether we’re talking about an office or a construction site, the consequences could be fatal. Rats can sneak in and chew the wiring important for your work, causing potential short-circuits and fires, while bugs can spread disease and interfere with the work process. Making sure no pests can be found on the worksite will make your employees much more relaxed and productive. They won’t have to stop work just to deal with another issue and you won’t have to spend more money on solving an additional problem.

3. Train and educate your workers

Most injuries are caused by untrained workers who don’t know what they’re doing. So, in order to minimize the risk of injury, you need to battle ignorance. Do this by training new employees and educating old ones. You may have a skilled crew in your hands, but everyone needs a little reminder on safety. Also, make sure to encourage safe behaviour on the job. You can do this by rewarding their good behaviour with a compliment or pat on the back.This way, your workforce won’t be on sick leave or at home, healing from a work injury. You’ll have a strong and healthy crew, ready to take on any project you give them. You’ll also get to avoid potential lawsuits. This all saves you a lot of time, energy, and money while increasing productivity.

4. Get proper and quality equipment

More and more countries are realizing just how effective having proper equipment can be. Take Australia, for example. It’s realized the equipment is the key to preventing injuries and promoting health. If your employees wear good quality equipment necessary for their job, they’re far more likely to do their job well because they’ll have some help.In fact, Aussies take it so seriously that control measures have been implemented to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy. That’s why you’ll find that Australian safety boots, hard hats, high visibility clothing, and safety harnesses meet all the necessary regulations. As a result, you won’t hear that anyone’s gotten sick or injured at work, and productivity is at an all-time high.

5. Maintain the hygiene

Maintaining the hygiene of any work venue is essential from keeping sickness at bay. Disease spreads faster in unclean environments so you need to counter that. Pay special attention to bathroom areas, and kitchens if there are any. If not, make sure the place where your workers take their lunch break is up to standard.

If the circumstances allow it, you can hire a cleaning service to regularly take care of your workplace. This takes the pressure off you while still making sure your employees are working in a clean environment. Finally, you should also encourage your workers to clean up after themselves and educate them on the importance of clean workstations. This way you’ll minimize the risk of disease entirely.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a few things to pay attention to when it comes to making sure your employees remain safe and healthy. The attitude you have towards their well-being will surely reflect how they feel about you. If your employees respect and like you, they’re far more likely to do their job well and be motivated to give it their all to succeed. We’re confident that all your hard work will pay off in the long run if you follow some or all of the tips above.

About the author: Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home improvement, design and style. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.

General Safety Issues

5 Safety Tips to Keep Your Workplace Injury-Free

5 Safety Tips to Keep Your Workplace Injury-Free

In business, unplanned expenses are something that every business owner worries about. A workplace injury can become one of the reasons for such negative variance. Specifically in safety sensitive industries like construction, a safety violation resulting to serious injury or even death could cost the business its license to operate. Other minor workplace related injuries disrupt the operations of the unit concerned thereby affecting its KPIs.

It is Management’s responsibility to ensure a safe and injury-free workplace for all employees. Compliance to local, state, and federal laws require such. This also makes employees comfortable in the performance of their roles.

Here is a list of 5 safety tips to keep your workplace injury-free.

  • Keep your workplace clean all the time

    • A dirty or unclean work area is a health and safety risk for all its inhabitants, management and staff alike. Make sure to maintain a reliable cleaning company to perform periodic cleaning of your workplace. Also, make sure your company has sufficient cleanliness related personnel guidelines and that violations to these company guidelines are correspondingly acted upon with necessary penalties or corrective measures.

  • Apply Ergonomics and stick to it

    • Ergonomics being a scientific process of arranging your workplace, you should have faith on it and be consistent on its application.

    As a business person, you will undoubtedly want to grow your businesses profit margins, to do better against KPIs and to increase consumer confidence. For David Rowland, Head of Marketing at Effective Software, there is one effective way to do this: though more effective health and safety policies.

  • Provide proper lighting

    • It is said that the incidence of injuries in well lighted environments are less compared to those with poor lighting. And you wouldn’t want your management team and the rest of the staff to acquire eye related problems or worse go blind, right?

  • Educate everyone about workplace safety and workplace injury prevention, management and staff including your utility and maintenance crew alike

    • Ignorance of the safety guidelines is a risk which could impact anyone or everyone in the workplace. You must invest on this and make sure training is backed by a comprehensive set of personnel guidelines for strict implementation.

    Often, what spells the difference between a safety violation or injury is the lack of strict implementation and not the absence of guidelines to implement.  Make management responsible for their personnel by cost or profit center, thereby multiplying your implementation monitors and heightening the sense of responsibility. Make sure sufficient documentation is in place and have someone take long term responsibility for its maintenance and safekeeping.  You may opt to certify your company with OSHA/HSA/HSE as applicable. These organizations were set-up with the objective of protecting people in the workplace or job sites. In some industries the OSHA/HAS/HSE are required rather than optional.

  • Perform audits to keep everyone in check

    • There is a valid reason behind safety audits, that is why you should also implement this in your company. And in most states and countries, such is a requirement by law. It is important that your auditors are certified and trained to ensure this process will work. Remember always that the key to safety is the continual inspection and maintenance.

    By now you do not only know that you are responsible for everyone’s safety in your company, but you also know how to ensure this happens consistently without miss.  Positive reinforcement as a form of behavioral training can work in this exercise. Some companies provide extra bonuses for cost or profit centers with zero safety violations. You might want to ponder on this and include in your management and/or safety budget next year.
    First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

    5 Smart Tips for Employees to Stay Safe in the Workplace

    Tips for staying smart and safe in the workplace

    According to a report by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), in the year 2014, more than 4,000 U.S. workers were killed while on the job. Now, this is not a stat to be taken reluctantly. Death in the workplace is perhaps the most unfortunate and alarming thing to happen.

    From construction workers to desk job employees, none of them is safe in their individual workplace if the right kind of precautionary measures and safety tips are not taken into consideration. Not only occupational hazard can take place due to safety issues, but employees can be exposed to other risks for not being smart enough to know their rights and provisions at the workplace.

    Thus, in order to fight off the evil and become a smart and safe employee in the workplace, here are a few of the most effective suggestions that can help you stay safe, smart and secured in the office.

    • Get accustomed to the emergency plans and modules of your workplace

    This is perhaps the first and foremost point of concern an employee should consider taking note of. Every workplace has an emergency plan and provision for its employees. For example, you are caught amidst a fire at your workplace and you do not have a fair idea regarding the emergency exits, then that might prove to be a traumatic situation for you.

    So, the idea is to inquire and figure out all emergency exits in your office beforehand, so that in times of trouble and mishaps, you don’t panic or get injured while trying to escape the situation in the wrong way.

    Takeaway: Try not to miss out on attending the fire drills in your workplace. You get to learn a lot of safety measures to be taken in times of emergencies.

    • Get some rest for your eyes – take short breaks in between

    If you have a desk job, try not to develop eyestrains by staring at the computer constantly. It goes without mentioning that it’s your job and you cannot afford to take the task lightly.

    Have you ever thought if an overly stressed schedule takes a toll on your health? You might end up developing eyestrains, allergic reactions, eye infection and the likes. How would you manage to come to work for the rest of the week?

    Thus, it is always a smarter choice to take short breaks in between, keep your eyes off the computer, and get some refreshments for yourself and then sit back to work with a fresh mind.

    Takeaway: According to NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health), computer users should have an eye test before they start working on the device. You should also maintain a routine check-up schedule once a year thereafter.

    • Stay well informed of the area where first aid kits are kept

    This is yet another crucial suggestion to be kept in mind, as far as being safe in the workplace is concerned. It goes without mentioning that physical hazards, health issues, chronic injuries and the likes can occur at any time. Now, being a responsible and smart employee, it is your utmost concern to stay alert and aware of the area where first aid box and other safety kits are usually kept. According to a study, around 1.3 million workers suffered from health issues related to their job in 2016/2017.

    Now that it is pretty visible and evident that the count of workplace illness has reached an alarming stage, keeping track of your health and being accustomed with the first aid kits at your workplace is perhaps one initiative that could help you to save yourself and others from the wrath of a sudden heart attack, chronic injuries, breathing problems, allergic reactions and the likes. Until the time a physician attends the victim, effective and timely first aid supplies could keep the situation under control.

    Takeaway: Make sure your office first aid kit contains cold packs, calamine lotion, alcohol wipes, paracetamol tablets, hand sanitizer, allergy medicine, gauze rolls, saline wound wash and pain relievers.

    • Be smart enough to discard the habit of multitasking

    Posted in workplacepsychology.net, a Harvard Business Review has suggested that multitasking results in a 40% drop in productivity, a 10% drop in IQ and also increases stress at the end of the day.
    Employees, who have developed stress, become less productive in the workplace. Often, he/she suffers from a poor IQ, because of which carrying out all responsibilities and taking care of daily job targets might turn out to be an intricate affair for them.

    Instead of making situations complicated by attempting and failing to do multiple tasks, all at once, it would probably be a smarter and much safer choice for an employee to finish one work at a time.

    Takeaway: Take a close look at your job sheet, figure out one task which is of utmost importance and needs to be delivered at the earliest. Complete that particular assignment at first; take a deep breath and move on to the next one with a fresh mind.

    • Check and confirm if the chairs and standing desks in your workplace are in good condition

    According to a report, CDC (Center for Disease Control) has cited “falling” as the biggest and probably the most common cause of injuries to occur in a workplace. It could occur due to slippery, wet floors, sitting in an unstable chair, using chairs instead of ladders and the likes.

    Thus, the idea is to check and confirm if your office chairs and standing desks are stable and in good condition. If you find anything wrong, consider escalating the issue to the Facilities department at the earliest and rope in a set of sturdy furniture which can ensure a safer work environment.

    Takeaway: Check the springs, examine the legs of the chairs and see if the furniture offers sufficient lumbar support, along with the availability of synchro-tilt mechanisms.

    It is a known fact that we tend to spend most of the productive hours of the day in the office or amidst office chores. This, as a result, certainly calls for a better safety measure, hazard identification and risk management strategies for a smarter and secured work culture.

    Author Bio – Alice is a risk management expert associated with a private agency in Australia. Apart from that, Alice is an online assignment help provider, working on behalf of the firm MyAssignmenthelp.com. Alice is also a passionate pianist.

    General Safety Issues

    5 Workplace Safety Issues Too Serious To Be Overlooked

    5 Workplace Safety Issues Too Serious To Be Overlooked

    One of the tragic mistakes people make is putting productivity first, and safety at the workplace second. Not only is this just a lawsuit waiting to happen, but it’s highly immoral as well. But, you would be surprised how often safety issue springs up not due to malice, but due to negligence. Some people simply forget some very basic safety precautions that are supposed to be practiced in the workplace. That’s why we’ve compiled this list as a reminder, just in case.

    Mold

    One of the first things people overlook is mold build-up. It can cause a host of issues, from asthma, to allergies. It is absolutely horrible for people’s health, and will destroy productivity. It can even cause skin and eye irritation in more serious cases. Know that if you have an office that is low, on bottom floors or even inside of a basement, that you are at high risk of getting mold. Perform regular check-ups, hire somebody to deal with it if you have to.

    Asbestos

    Asbestos is an absolute no-go. The health issues caused by asbestos have been documented for a long time. And yet, people still sometimes use it, against any and all regulations. And in some places, it isn’t regulated at all. But no matter where you live, know that this isn’t a joke.

    Asbestos can still be found in many old buildings, since it’s an excellent insulator. However, your office building needs to be checked for any trace of asbestos. Its seriously cancerogenic, and you need to get rid of it stat. It should, in fact, be your number one priority.

    Rails and Fences

    This one really depends on your line of work. Namely, if you work at a place like a construction site, or any other field where there is a chance a person can actually fall and hurt themselves, you need to invest in proper safety precautions. There are always high-quality temporary fence panels for sale somewhere, as well as rails and walkways. Don’t go cheap, try to get the best you can.

    You need to keep your people protected, and an unsafe work environment will destroy morale and efficiency. Not to mention how cheap your company will end up looking. If needed, redistribute your budget. Invest in all the safety and warning signs you need as well.

    Stress Management

    Stress is a mind killer. For decades now, doctors have been warning about just what kind of damage stress causes. That’s why you should do everything you can do regulate it. Depending on your line of work, you need to manage stress accordingly. Did you notice one of your employees has been overworked, putting in overtime every day for a month? Give them a day off, help them relax.

    Did your whole team just finish an incredibly stressful and difficult project? Treat them, give them a bonus, or let them leave work early for a couple of days. Furthermore, you can avoid the actual occurrence of stress if you practice due diligence. Have plan A, B, C, and D ready to cover any issue that may show up. Provide adequate stress management training as well. Know that if it snowballs, stress can cause serious burnout and waste of talent.

    Emotional issues

    Emotional safety at the workplace is all about trust and feeling respect. It can be loosely defined as the employee having enough trust placed in the employer to feel open and vulnerable. An employee should feel that he or she can bring up any issue or problem to the employer and that he or she will be respected and heard.

    An employee needs to know that the employer has their best interest at heart. The opposite of this would be any kind of bullying or harassment they may suffer. Being strict but fair is one thing, but a manager venting his frustrations at his workers will absolutely tank productivity and morale.

    Remember, the last thing you want is somebody getting hurt due to negligence. And some of these issues, like stress management and employee emotions, may not come to mind at first. But, know that they are just as important as asbestos, mould, and lack of proper railings. You need to keep both your employee’s minds and bodies safe.

    Back Safety, General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Respiratory Safety

    Stay Active & Increase Your Productivity At Work

    Stay Active & Increase Your Productivity At Work

    Many of us have jobs that require us to sit at desks for several hours together. In this case, we hardly find time to keep ourselves healthy and fit. When it comes to going to the gym, we conveniently find excuses for not going due to hectic work schedules. Moreover, when you are engrossed in your workload, you don’t remember to even stand up from your place and stretch.

    Excessive sitting can cause a lot of health troubles like slowing down your metabolism, developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, cancer, and more. According to WHO (World Health Organization), “new data published in The Lancet Global Health on 5 September 2018 show that more than one in four adults globally (28% or 1.4 billion people) are physically inactive. It has also listed inactivity as the fourth biggest risk factor for global mortality.”

    The key to increasing your productivity in the workplace is to stay active all day. Yes, you read that right. It doesn’t mean you only have to go the gym for becoming fit and active. Not that it is wrong to do so but putting some simple, yet effective efforts while at work can also help you a lot.

    There are plenty of ways to remain active at work and improve your health and fitness, along with increasing the productivity. Let us dive in to know how you can do this more effectively.

    Walk Or Ride To Workplace

    Instead of taking a cab or train, you can practice walking to your work. It will give you a much greater amount of exercise. Moreover, it is an easy and convenient way of incorporating physical activity into your routine. Of course, not everyone stays this close to their work to take a walk. But, you can make at least a part of your trip by including any of these physical activities. It will make you more energetic and active during your work.

    Conduct Standing Or Walking Meetings

    Unlike sitting in the conference hall, you can keep walking or standing meetings with your colleagues or employees. Standing is a great form of exercise, as it engages your leg muscles and makes them stronger.

    The meetings that stretch for 1 hour can be accomplished in 15 minutes if you plan your meeting in this manner. Getting active during working hours can be highly beneficial.

    Seek Physical Therapy

    Physical therapy is one of the best ways to improve your fitness and increase the flexibility of the body. Physical therapists offer excellent fitness and wellness programs to help you achieve your fitness goals. Moreover, you can also do some stretching exercises to help relax your muscles and relieve the pain thereof.

    According to Advantage Osteopractic Physical Therapy, “Everyone can learn to stretch, regardless of age or flexibility. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine, whether you exercise or not. It does not have to involve a huge amount of time, but stretching can end up giving you huge results!”

    Wear Comfortable Shoes And Clothes

    Studies show that when you wear comfortable clothing and footwear, you are more likely to be active. Moreover, when you have heels in your feet, climbing stairs is rarely or not at all appealing. Even when you have a dress code for your office, try to make it more comfortable by incorporating flexible and suitable fabric that allows you to stretch.

    Track Your Steps

    Usually, we get lethargic to walk and try to skip whenever possible even a small physical activity. Incorporating a tracking app in your watch can help you monitor your steps during the day. Also, when you plan to lose weight, it will help you in doing so. Tracking can be an excellent way to motivate yourself and remind yourself of your goals. So, make a habit of walking distances even if they are small.

    Walk Instead Of Calling Or Emailing

    If you have to email or call your colleague, it is better to walk across to their desks and talk out the matter instead of emailing or calling. Use every opportunity to engage in physical activity. It will add to your energy levels and make you more active during your working hours. Additionally, it gives an extra benefit of socializing with them.

    Make The Most Of The Lunch Time

    During your lunch break, instead of ordering food at your desk, you can go to pick your lunch parcel. Alternatively, you can also go on a brisk walk after your lunch. Moving is vital to keep your body energetic and active. You can also involve your co-workers in this routine and it can become fun. Incorporating small physical activities into your routine can be greatly helpful in staying active.

    Habituate To Taking Stairs

    For one or the other reason, we try to avoid taking stairs and take the elevators instead. However, you should make a habit of climbing stairs, which can add to improving your fitness and health. If you find it hard, you can aim at doing it at least once a day. Eventually, you will get habituated to doing so.

    Take Breaks To Move

    Avoid prolonged sitting, and make sure you stand up from your place and move at regular intervals or every 1 hour. If you don’t remember to do so, then keep an alarm at your desk and make it a point to stand up and move. You don’t have to take a long walk. Just a break of 5-10 minutes is sufficient enough to give your body some movement.

    Staying active at work can help you increase your productivity to a great extent. So, indulge your body in some physical activity, even if it is a small one, and make it energetic.

    General Safety Issues

    Good Health and Safety Documents for Your Workplace

    GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR WORKPLACE

    Health and safety document is a piece of document or book in which policies related to health and safety at the workplace is explained and it is also described how you control on health and safety in your workplace.  In the health and safety document it explains why you need to adopt particular health and safety policies, what components are included in health and safety policy and individual responsibilities of employees as per the role. For in order to write the best health and safety document for your workplace, there are few things that need to be clear and remember.
    Do you need a health and safety policy?
    All organization must have more or less health and safety policies for their workplace. All organization who have more than five employees are legally obliged to design the written health and safety policy. Health and safety document is the very effective document that prevents the organization from being the potential risk and focuses on the issue. This will save time and money.
    What should it include?
    When creating your health and safety policy you should consult with your employees. With their experience, they may think of things to include that you have not.
    Writing health and safety document involve experience and professional employees from the company. It is a proper process that involves different employees. Different employees give different suggestions to contribute to improving health and safety environment at workplace
    Your health and safety policy must include:
    • A statement determined that demonstrating your commitment to having a safe and healthy working environment
    • A list of who is responsible for what
    • Information regarding how your main health and safety issues will be managed.

    What is the document for?

    In most of the organization health and safety documents serve as information documents, an instruction documents for health and safety concern and a form.

    Also some of the organization utilized both informative and instructive documents in their health and safety documents. These documents explain certain events, condition or incident and what to do in these situations. Like health and safety policy include:

    Health and safety hazards and risks while using certain equipment and performing the dangerous activity and also explain what to do to control particular risk and hazard in your workplace.

    Who will read the document?

    The health and safety document of your workplace will be written for your employees so the reader of your document is your employee. Also, remember while designing the health and safety document at your workplace, not all employee read the document effectively. So make sure all employees must understand the document and those who unable to read the document used some other approach to deliver health and safety message to such employee. like in the health and social care centre health and safety document not only produce but also visual health and safety tips are hanging and place at different positions in this place service users, their families and staff all are the readers of health and safety message and precautions. So the reader for your health and safety document is different according to the company to company. Also while creating the health and safety document must consider your employee’s needs and abilities.

    Where can you get information to put into your documents? 

    In order to create the effective health and safety document for your workplace, there are different places from where you can collect information and issues so that you can design your document according to the issue they are facing.
    Like you can:

    • Take help and read from the past and existing health and safety document
    • discuss with your employees and encourage to give advice
    • Observe your workplace operations what is happening right and where there is any lacking.
    • Held meeting with health and safety professionals like occupational health and safety professional and representatives and discuss with them what lacking they are seen among employee while implementing and adopting health and safety policies.
    • Talk to other professionals who are working similar workplace like yours.
    • Read health and safety guideline and best practices related to industry-specific

    Things that you need to remember:

    Writing a good health and safety documents there are certain things that need to be considered while writing health and safety document at your workplace.
    Write the document in simple English so that each employee can understand easily what is being written. Simple English mean policy clearly delivers your message to your employees, use short phrases and sentences, use routine words rather than complex Jorgen, use simple format to lay out the document.
    Keep sentences short and clear complex and hard wordy written policies are hard to understand so simple, clear and short sentences while creating the health and safety policies.
    Use everyday words
    Use common words to describe the health and safety policies at the workplace. Employees whose first language is not the language they face more and also they unable to understand the meaning of various health and safety terms.
    Avoid unnecessary acronyms and abbreviations
    It is also recommended to write the good and effective health and safety document at workplace do not the huge amount of abbreviations and acronyms and if you discuss then make the list of abbreviation and acronyms as well as write the full form when you first explain in the text.
    Active and passive voice
    Use active voice while writing health and safety policies for better understanding and implementation of policies. Passive voice sometimes sounds more complex and ineffective to deliver the clear message.
    Author Bio
    Elizabeth is a professional writer as well as blogger. She writes after research and analyses current market scenario on different topics esasy, English, pysics, chemistry, heatl, etc. Also behind Assignment Writing Services and love to share this informative content to explore knowledge.
    General Safety Issues

    Top 10 Safety Workplace Measures Every Employee Should Adopt

    Top 10 Safety Workplace Measures Every Employee Should Adopt

    No matter where you work, there is always a chance of danger due to accidents. It is necessary for the companies to adopt some safety measures and train their employees about it. Employees’ time to time require a reawakening to be reminded about the dangers that might occur at the workplace every day.
    What is safety training?
    In simple words, safety training is teaching your employees like essay help how not get hurt or injured during office hours. The goal of this training is developing an environment where health and safety of the employees comes first. It is also the legal duty of the company to protect their employees from any kind of workplace danger.
    Here in this article we shed light on top 10 safety workplace measures every employee should adopt in order to keep their employees safe from any kind of hurdle. These measures are:
    • Always keep an eye on your surroundings:
    Keep an open eye during working hours keeps you away from many incidents. This on the other hand, enhances your work performance. If your work is somewhere around machinery then always being alert and keep both your eyes and mind open while working.
    • Keep your posture correct:
    Back problems are very common during work. If your 9-5 job is to sit in front of a computer, then it is must to keep sitting in a way that your shoulders are in line with your hips in order to avoid back pains. If you have to pick something, then make sure to use correct form. It is must for the management to provide their employees comfortable chairs.
    • Take breaks:
    Avoid sitting at one place for so long instead take regular breaks and walk around. There are many work related injuries that might occur when the employee is tired or feel fatigued. Taking breaks can keep you fresh on the job, and you will be able to work in a better way. Try to work on difficult tasks in the morning when your concentration is on the peak.
    • Use machines properly:
    It is the duty of the management to teach their staff how to use the tools and machines properly in order to avoid any hurdle. Employees must have to take proper measures while using machinery and tools. Using machines and tools the right way reduces the chances of workplace injury.
    • Emergency exits:
    It is a must that every employee in the company must know about the emergency exits. Also make sure that these emergency exits are easy to reach. Also, there must be clear access to shut off in case if you need to stop them from functioning in case of emergency.
    • Report unsafe conditions to management:
    It is the duty of the management to keep an open eye on their employees and if there is any unsafe condition happens in the then workplace takes care of it. Also ask your employees to keep themselves alert during work and if they find any mishap report it urgently to the duty supervisor.
    • Avoid high risk jobs:
    It is strictly not allowed to assign any high risk task to a worker who is not trained for the specific job. Doing this is not at all safe for the worker as well as for the machineries. So, for high risk jobs it is must to give complete training to the employees and then assign them any task.
    • Stay sober:
    Alcohol or drugs are strictly not allowed in the workplace. If any of the employees find using drugs or alcohol during working hours than it is the right of the management to at once fire them. When the concentration, motor control or alertness of the employee is diverted then there is a high risk of workplace injuries.
    • Reduce stress:
    Avoid giving too much work to a single employee. Too much work stress can lead to concentration problems and depression that will directly or indirectly affect the work. A common cause of workplace stress includes long working hours, job insecurity, workload, etc., If you have any workplace stress better to discuss it with your supervisor and ask them for their help.
    • Wear the correct equipment:
    If you are not wearing the right equipment while working on machines, then the chances of injuries increase. Depending on the job, it is a must for you to wear safety equipment such as earmuffs, earplugs, hard hats, gloves, safety jackets, face mask, etc. These things will reduce the chances of injuries.
    It is the duty of the top management to take care of every safety measures at work in order to avoid any possible workplace injuries. Time to time give training to the employees, so that if any mishap occurs they will be able to hand it. Adopting these simple initiatives play a major role in maintaining workers trust on the company and they in return able to work in a better way.
    Eddie Colin is currently working as the branch manager of a private bank in Michigan. He studied Banking and Finance at college and what makes him stand out from others is his multilingual capabilities. Eddie has been fond of languages since a very young age and he eventually became known as a multilingual essayist at college Speedy essay. He understands the various types of essays and offers guidance to students online who are struggling with.
    General Safety Issues

    A Physical Therapist’s Tips To Stay Healthy & Energetic At Work

    A Physical Therapist’s Tips To Stay Healthy & Energetic At Work

    In every industry, the work culture has changed a lot in the last few decades. Since the time we started using computers, prolonged sitting has become quite common. If you sit in one place continuously for more than a few hours, it leads to health problems.

    Perhaps that’s the reason physical therapists always advise people to take short breaks. It not only helps in refreshing your mind but also has a lot of benefits for your physical health.

    Whether you work in a high-end office or you spend your time working on manufacturing plants and construction sites, living a pain-free life is essential for one and all. If you are unwell, you can’t perform at your best; therefore, it’s vital to take care of your health. Those who have jobs that require intense physical activity remain at the high risk of workplace injuries.

    However, those who have sitting jobs end facing a wide range of problems due to lack of physical movements. You feel pain in your neck, back, shoulders, and arms, etc., after sitting for long periods of time. Besides, some people also experience pain in the wrist, knees, hips, and lower back, etc.

    The only way to enjoy a healthy while still performing your duties on time is to consult a physical therapist. Your therapist will not only treat your condition, but they will also educate you.

    According to Priority Physical Therapy, “We assess the worker’s current functional abilities and gather information regarding his/ her job requirements. Treatment is both evaluative and restorative. Therapy will utilize a combination of manual therapy techniques, therapeutic exercises, body mechanics training, modalities, and patient education/ home programming.“

    So, if you have a full time sitting job, here is how you can maintain your health.

    Correct You Sitting Posture 

    You can reduce the risk of a variety of health conditions that stem from prolonged sitting by correcting your posture. Always make sure that you sit up straight. If you slouch, then make sure you stop that in the first place. Slouching is a bad habit; therefore, you should always try to avoid it. Most people who slouch end up struggling with spinal problems. They struggle with conditions like neck pain and back pain frequently. Although you get tips to prevent back pain from your family and health professionals; however, sometimes it’s better to use your intelligence as well.

    While sitting at your desk, make sure that you keep your back straight, feet flat on the floor, and knees at a 90-degree angle. Besides, you should keep your computer at an eye level, so that you do not have to stretch your neck.

    Use An Ideal Chair 

    Using the right chair is utterly crucial to keep your spine healthy. Maintaining the actual shape of your spine is highly vital to keep the musculoskeletal conditions at bay. If you are using an uncomfortable chair, ask your boss to replace it with a better one that can offer the right support to your back.

    Also, if you are feeling uncomfortable, you can use a footrest. Nowadays, you will find a wide range of office chairs which offer the maximum comfort to employees. You can also use them!

    Take Breaks Frequently 

    Taking short breaks is an ideal way of keeping your body pain-free. When you get up from your seat frequently, it not only helps in improving your circulation but also makes it easier for you to concentrate on your task once you get back at your desk. Since it helps in refreshing your mind, you can focus on your work. Walking around your office is an excellent way of relieving the compression that results from long hours of sitting.

    Stretch Your Body Regularly 

    Stretching is very crucial for people with the sitting jobs. They should keep on performing basic stretches that do not take much time. Stretch your neck if you are feeling uncomfortable. Roll your neck in all the directions to relieve tightness. You can also roll your head to the right side and hold that position for at least 15 seconds. Do it again but this time around roll your head to the left side. Besides, you can also stretch your chin all the way to your chest and tuck it.

    Similarly, you can carry out upper body stretch and hamstring stretch at work.

    Drink Water Frequently

    Keeping your body hydrated is utterly vital to stay healthy. Always keep a bottle of water at your desk, so that you can drink it frequently. If you are someone who does not like drinking plain water, you can mix lemon in it. Make sure that before taking the lunch you take enough of water.

    It not only helps in reducing the amount of food you consume during the mealtime but also keeps you healthy. It helps in flushing out toxins from your body, strengthens the immune system, and promotes weight loss.

    Drinking water frequently helps in preventing dry mouth and bad breath.

    General Safety Issues

    Advantages of Providing Safe Workplace to the Employees

    ADVANTAGES OF PROVIDING SAFE WORKPLACE TO THE EMPLOYEES

    Benefits of safe workplace

    Most businesses ignore the various safety regulation in order to reduce the short term operating cost of their business operations. However recent studies on the subject shows that the creation of a safe workplace is more beneficial to the companies. The main benefits of developing a safe workplace are given below

    1. Increase in employee safety: The development of a safe workplace helps to reduce the number of accidents that happen at a workplace. The implementation of the proper safeguards helps to improve employee morale. These measures also help to improve the productivity of the employees. The creation of a safe workplace helps to create strong bonds between the employees and employers. These strong bonds help to improve the overall efficiency of the business operations of the company.
    2. Reduction in operating cost: Businesses have to pay at least one million US dollars to employees as compensation every week in order to settle the lawsuits related to workplace accidents. The development of a safe workplace helps to reduce the number of lawsuits that are filed against the company as well as the compensation paid by the company to injured employees. The decrease in the number of accidents at a workplace also helps to reduce the number of absent employees. The reduction in the number of accidents at a workplace also helps to reduce the chances of a complete shutdown of the business operations of the company.
    3. Positive effect on public perception: The reduction in the number of accidents at a workplace has a positive impact on the general perception of the public about the company. Customers usually prefer to buy products from companies who care more about their employees as compared to other companies. The creation of a safe workplace helps the company to increase customer retention by building a positive public image.

    Facts related to Workplace Safety

    One worker dies every 15 seconds due to a work related accident. More than 150 workers are injured during various workplace accidents at the same time. The implementation of poor health and safety regulations is responsible for reducing the global GDP by more than 4 percent. The implementation of poor health and safety regulations by businesses is responsible for 317 million workplace related accidents. More than half million employees are injured during workplace related accidents every year in Australia. A study conducted by the National security council of Australia shows that 85 % of the businesses fail to properly implement the necessary safety measures. The survey also concludes that most of the workplace related accidents occur in the Construction sector. The Mining sector, Forestry & Fisheries sector, Transport & Storage sector and Manufacturing sector are the other four sectors that are responsible for most of the workplace related accidents.

    Measures for increasing Workplace Safety

    The main steps that can be used by the businesses to increase worker safety are given below

    1. Staff training: The businesses should provide adequate safety training to their employees in order to create safe The first aid training can help the employees to provide basic medical assistance to the injured patients in case of a work related accident. This will help the businesses to reduce the number of workplace related deaths.
    2. Implementation of Work Health and Safety Act 2011: The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 was developed by the Australian government in order to reduce the number of workplace accidents. The act contains a list of rules that can help businesses to minimize the risk of workplace related The implementation of the new law also helps the Australian businesses to minimize their legal obligations in case of a workplace related accident.
    3. Implementation of safety incentive plan: The implementation of a safety incentive plan helps to reduce the risk of workplace related The businesses should create and distribute various procedural manuals and promotion videos. This information will help employees to make effective decisions in the case of a workplace related accident.
    4. Use of Protective safety equipment: Businesses should equip their employees with Protective safety equipment in order to better protect their employees from chemical, mechanical and radiological hazards. The companies should also provide special training to these employees in order to reduce workplace related.

    About the author

    I’m Jessica Gross. I read and write every day on various topics related to society, culture, academics, business and lifestyle. I have been working as an academic consultant for Australian assignment help for more than a decade. You can catch me on twitter.

     

     

    Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection

    BEST SELF-DEFENSE COMBATS FOR PERSONAL SECURITY AT WORK (GUEST POST)

     

    Violence, whether it happens within the workplace or outside of it, can cause considerable harm to employee morale, increase work-related stress, and decrease the overall level of workplace harmony, not to mention the potential human resources and compensation issues.

    Employers should provide their employees with a safe work environment, and indeed, some provide pepper spray, automatic locking doors, or other devices to deter attacks. Most companies have taken at least some steps to ensure that their employees remain safe. Some even provide self defense programs to teach you how they would like you to handle such incidents. Apart from the primary benefits of educating a company’s employees in a practical, effective, rapid-learning self defense program which goes far beyond just teaching “techniques”, and includes Legal and Moral Rights and Responsibilities, and Physical Tools of Self Protection – there are many other very important and beneficial reasons why every company should offer such a program. Just as with most other types of insurance, one of the benefits found is in the peace of mind and knowledge that you are protected if something should ever go wrong.  

    In this article you will find the list of the 5 best martial arts techniques that can be used for self defense in the workplace. 

    1.      AIKIDO

    Aikido’s followers learn how to use an assailant’s strength and energy against them. Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. Further, if thrown to the ground, aikido practitioners are experts at falling. Thus, they are good at avoiding injuries as a result. Once on the ground, or sometimes while still standing, aikido practices joint locks and choke holds to varying extents. Thus, practitioners are capable of fighting where the majority of self defense situations go. Weapon training is common in aikido, and followers are taught to defend themselves against staffs, swords and knives.

    2.      KARATE

    Karate is primarily a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands. In most styles grappling, locks, restraints, throws and vital point strikes are taught. This martial art is supremely valuable because of not only its health benefits, but also its role as a self defense tool. According to the precepts, it can also be used, “… as a way of avoiding a fight should one be confronted by a villain or ruffian.” However, the karate based martial arts types are highly limited in their takedown defense instruction and grappling, so practitioners need to keep some level of distance in an altercation. On the flip side, since karate is a striking style that focuses on incapacitating strikes, it can be used against multiple attackers with a level of confidence.

    3.      BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

    Like traditional jujutsu and judo, the Brazilian form emphasizes throws and groundwork, making it a popular tool for today’s mixed martial artists. With more than 60% of any street fight ending up on the ground, Brazilian jiu-jitsu allows size and strength of the attacker to be taken out of the equation. Brazilian jiu-jitsu does not teach a fighter how to be a good stand up fighter. It does, however, teach people to avoid being hurt on their feet, take others to the ground, and then apply a submission. Further, through the use of leverage, it also teaches practitioners to take on bigger opponents and fight from their back via the use of the guard position.

    4.      KUNG FU

     In martial arts circles, kung fu refers to a ton of Chinese martial arts substyles. Kung fu is primarily about striking. Thus, the majority of styles within this realm teach incapacitating strikes to vital areas. This is a good thing in a self defense situation, as speed is the key. What’s more, kung fu does teach a lot about distance control and moving in and out of harm’s way effectively, which limits the damage that can be done to you, the practitioner. Striking tends to be diverse; lots of kicks and punches, including unorthodox ones. As is the case with most martial arts, kung fu’s worth lies in both health benefits and self defense knowledge. 

    5.      TAEKWONDO

    In self defense, one wants to move in and out of harm’s way quickly, incapacitating an opponent along the way. This is especially true when up against more than one opponent. One also wants to inflict damage and not be hurt; taking chances isn’t always a good thing. Taekwondo teaches its followers to do just these things. Further, it teaches very powerful strikes designed to incapacitate. Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws and joint locks. Taekwondo practitioners are skilled in strength, stamina, speed, balance, and flexibility.

    Self defense training has been shown to improve employee discipline, morale, and critical thinking; it can help to dissuade workplace violence before it starts; it improves creative problem solving skills and is excellent for building workplace unity and enhancing teamwork. Smart companies know that taking steps to keep their employees safe and healthy by implementing things like health and dental insurance, wellness programs, and on-the-job safety training is not only the right thing to do for their employees, but it’s in the best interest of the company’s own fiscal health, longevity, and success.  Furnishing them the proper personal protective equipment (i.e., safety glasses, gloves, hardhats, etc.) for their particular job is the front line of their defense. 

    Author Bio: 

    This article was submitted by UMA, Melbourne based Ultimate Martial Arts & Fitness school.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UltimateMartialArts

    We appreciate this version of safety at work; it would pay if there were some employees on site that could be trained in any one of these martial arts. pb