Health and Safety In The Workplace

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10 Jan. 2020. Health and safety in the workplace is an important issue as everyone should be able to go to work without the risk of injury. Even in industries where there is more risk, there should be measures in place to reduce any risk. Here are some things that you should do to ensure your workplace is safe:

Training in moving and handling

One of the most common ways to injure yourself at work is through the improper moving and handling of heavy objects. Ensuring that all employees are fully trained in how to lift items properly means that the number of injuries will be reduced.

To lift items properly, you need to ensure that you have the correct posture and that you bend at the knees and hips to pick up the item. You should not just bend at the waist because that could result in injury. When you lift, you should ensure your back is straight and lift using your hips and knees. Hold the object as close to your body as you can and put it down in the same manner as you picked it up.

Incorrect lifting can, over time, cause long-term damage to the musculoskeletal system of the body. It can also cause short-term damage, such as muscle strain.

Ensure industrial equipment is safe

All industrial equipment needs to be tested to ensure that it meets standards and is safe to use. You can hire companies, like Ranger, to test your industrial lifting equipment. If you do not have equipment of your own, you can hire equipment that should meet the safety regulations. If you notice anything wrong with any of your equipment, you should not use it until it has been checked and fixed.

Everyone who uses the equipment should also be fully trained and tested. If they are not, they could misuse the equipment and cause damage to the machine, environment, and the people around them.

Ensure everyone is equipped with the correct protective equipment

Many jobs do not need any specific equipment to wear, but those that do should ensure that all employees have everything that they need. In an industrial environment, employees may need to wear items such as earmuffs, hard hats, hi-vis jackets, and gloves. Some work environments require their employees to wear specific shoes to protect their feet from and falling objects.

Having the correct equipment protects the health and well-being of workers, ensuring that they can get through their day safely and continue to work as usual.

The work premises are safe to move around in

All work premises should have areas that are safe for employees to walk around in. If there is industrial equipment, there should be separate walking routes or the ability to block off areas when equipment is in use. Hand-rails should be on stairs so that people can steady themselves when walking up and down. Floor surfaces should also be safe to walk on with no damage that you could trip over or surfaces that make it easy to slip.

Editor’s note: The opinions in this post are the contributor’s and not those of Science & Enterprise.

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