WORKPLACE SAFETY TIPS

  

1.    Be Conscious of Your Surroundings

There are hazards associated with your job and the workplace, this tip requires that you are familiar with them. Once you recognise these risks, you would be able to stay clear of potential hazardous areas, and potential hazardous situations.

2.   Take Regular Breaks

So many work-related injuries and illnesses occur because a worker is tired, burned out and not alert to their surroundings. Taking regular breaks helps you stay fresh on the job. One trick to staying alert is to schedule the most difficult tasks when your concentration is best, like first thing in the morning.

3.   Maintain Correct Posture to Protect Your Back

If you work at a desk, keep your shoulders in line with your hips to avoid back problems. If you’re picking things up, use the correct manual handling technique to avoid back injury. Avoid stooping and twisting.

4.   Keep Emergency Exits Easily Accessible         

Be familiar with the emergency exits closest to you in your workplace. In case of an emergency, like fire where the building is to be evacuated, you’ll need quick, easy access to these exits.

5.   Report All Unsafe Conditions, Unsafe Acts and Near Misses

Safety observation at the workplace is essential. You need to inform your supervisor or any responsible authority, about any workplace safety hazards or risks that you have noticed. It is important to have the incident assessed with corrective action taken and preventive measures put in place.

6.   Make Proper Use of Tools and Machines

Take the proper precautions when using tools, and never take shortcuts. Taking shortcuts is the leading cause of workplace injury. Using tools the right way greatly reduces the possibility of workplace injury.

7.   Use Mechanical Aids Whenever Possible

Instead of attempting to carry or lift something that’s really heavy in an attempt to save a sliver of time during your workday, take the extra minute to use a wheelbarrow, conveyor belt, crank or forklift. Too many injury risks are involved with trying to lift something that weighs too much.

8.   Stay Clear of Alcohol & Drugs

A tangible percentage of workplace fatalities occur due to alcohol and drugs abuse. If a worker’s ability to exercise proper judgment, concentration, motor control, coordination or alertness is compromised, this can lead to any number of risks for workplace injury and fatalities.

9.   Manage Workplace Stress Properly

Stress can lead to depression and concentration problems. Common causes of workplace stress include long hours, heavy workload, job insecurity and conflicts with co-workers or managers. Take your concerns about workplace stress to your supervisor to see how they might help you address them.

10.  Use Correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

If the correct PPE is not used while carrying out a task, the possibility of injury is high. PPE acts to protect you from the hazards of the job. Depending on the type of job, PPE includes coveralls, steel-toed safety shoe/boots, hard hats, earplugs, earmuffs, gloves, safety goggles, safety harness, etc.

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