As America is bent on getting back on its feet after a year of being battered by the virus, you could be seeing work away from home faster than you can say no. That’s especially the case if you can wave your COVID- 9 vaccine card to the company guard upon entry.
But as you are bound to notice, going back to work after so many months of not working may not be as easy as you think it should be. For one, your mental and work muscles may fall short given the work at hand.
And that can be bad news, especially in light of the fact that millions of Americans get hurt in the workplace each year. Worse, some of these accidents turn fatal. In 2019 alone, records showed there were 5 333 fatal work-related injuries in America. That’s up by 2% from the year before. There are a thousand and one reasons why these things happen. Many are due to the momentary lapse of one’s judgment.
However, don’t lose heart just yet. Though accidents will happen no matter what, prevention can minimize these dramatically. Indeed, prevention is better than cure. Even better, we’re giving you expert methodologies to make prevention a part of your everyday work life, so you can go home safe and sound every time.
Prepare Yourself for Inherent Risks
You may be happy that America is turning a corner and is opening its economy these days. That can certainly be good news for you. But you should not forget, you are putting yourself at the mercy of work-related risks if you’re not careful.
Know that every job on the planet has risks. Today, medical personnel put themselves in harm’s way when they treat people infected by the virus. Even top athletes have to be wary about sports-related injuries. If you’re working in an office, you could be prone to back pains for sitting for hours on end.
It’s best therefore to know ahead what are your job’s inherent risks. By arming yourself with knowledge, you should be able to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally to ward off these threats.
In this regard, a good prevention measure for you is to wear the correct work outfit. For instance, you would need a hard hat and other PPEs when working on a construction site. In addition, you should be wearing earmuffs to minimize extreme noise if you’re working as airport personnel.
You Need Training to Perform Best in High-risk Jobs
Indeed knowledge is key when you’re facing any job. But it’s all the more important when you’re facing a high-risk one. For instance, you’re waiting for disaster to happen if you operate big hydraulic machines (e.g., backhoe, pay loader) without training. You may not know it but government reports show worker’s arms have been crushed before due to mishandling of hydraulics, not to mention deaths.
Moreover, realize that you can’t really afford to take shortcuts when training. When you do, you’re only opening yourself up for greater risks.
Company Cars Should be in Tiptop Shape
Many times before, the mad rush to get things done can force company drivers into uncalled-for accidents. A quick look at Amazon drivers’ recent road mishaps that resulted in deaths should be telling.
In this regard, it’s important also that your company cars be regularly maintained so road accidents can be thwarted. Routine check-ups should be done regularly for best results.
By the same token, the repair and maintenance of heavy equipment must be pursued with the same vigor. Calling professionals with experience should be wise in this regard. Not only do they have the tools to get the job done, but also they have the needed skills to finish the work at the soonest possible time. Indeed, you may endanger the workplace if inexperienced personnel is given the task.
Maintain Good Housekeeping Practices
You might be surprised but good housekeeping and safety at work are entwined. You can’t get one without the other. Thus, your workplace must be well-kept, the premises free from dirt and debris. What’s more, you should have regular housekeeping practices. There must be a conscious team effort to plan and implement so accidental slipping and other mishaps at work are put to a minimum.
Formation of an Emergency Team Amongst Workers
You need to organize yourselves. There have to be workers who are trained and ready to give first aid when accidents happen. So whenever an accident ensues, staff can give CPR or whatever first aid is needed to save a co-worker.
To this end, Basic Life Support training is spot on. You can contact the Red Cross to facilitate such training. This way you can give the support needed in cases of life and death scenarios. As always, forewarned is forearmed.
