The Most Common Health Risks You Must Tackle At Work

Posted on Sep 16 2016 - 8:52pm by Editorial Staff

The workplace is one of the most common sites for accidents and injuries to occur. That’s only natural, given how much time we tend to spend at work. If you’re not careful, these incidents can destroy your business. They can take away the employees you need, cost you a lot of money and even get you in legal trouble. So here we’ll look at some of the most common risks and dealing with them.

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Slips, trips and falls

Let’s start with the single most common. Just behind road accidents, slips, trips and falls are the second biggest cause of accidental death. It doesn’t necessarily have to be when working at a great height, either. Severe head injuries are just one of the possible outcomes of not keeping vital walkways clear. Of not using wet floor signs after cleaning. It’s too easy to forget how dangerous any obstruction to walking can be. So keep it in mind.

Fire risks

In just about any kind of establishment or building, fire is a serious hazard. It needs a multi-pronged strategy to deal with it. In prevention, it’s all about identifying fire risks. In offices, this may particularly arise from bare wires or damaged sockets. After prevention, it’s about informing them of what to do in the event of a fire. Where they can leave, as well as where they can find fire blankets and extinguishers.

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Electrical faults

Fires can often be caused by faulty electrics in the workplace. But these electrics can very much be a risk of their own. Shocks from work equipment can cause severe damage. You can use testing and tagging equipment to make sure that all equipment in the office is completely safe, for example.

Mold and damp

We might not always have the newest and freshest buildings to house our people in. Sometimes, they leave a bit to be desired in terms of age or wear and tear. In some cases, this isn’t a problem. When it comes to letting in rain and moisture, then it is. Mold and damp can cause serious respiratory problems. They can be critical to those who already have breathing conditions. So you need to be careful about sealing the office space. If you have an old office, consider window replacements and commercial flat roofing experts.

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Back pain

One concern that doesn’t show its effects as immediately is the risk of posture. Particularly, being stuck in one for too long or not being properly supported. Back pain can be a serious concern for office workers. Consider ergonomic equipment to help avoid it.

Machinery and tools

For construction, manufacturing and several other businesses, safety is an even bigger concern. That’s because the machinery they use can be inherently dangerous. It’s important that machines have a strict schedule of maintenance and inspection. Just as it’s crucial that personal protection equipment is kept in supply, using an inventory to make sure you have all you need. Frequent training and re-training is required to make sure the staff know the risks and how to deal with them, too.

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.