Category: Safety at Work

Prevent Fall Injuries in the Workplace

Falls are a persistent hazard found in all occupational settings. A fall can occur during the simple acts of walking or climbing a ladder to change a light fixture or as a result of a complex series of events affecting an ironworker 80 feet above the ground. According to the 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 605 workers were killed and an estimated 212,760 workers were seriously injured by falls to the same or lower level.

via CDC – Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Smoking Cuts Life Short

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death.

Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths per year, and current trends show that tobacco use will cause more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030.

In the United States, tobacco use is responsible for about one in five deaths annually (i.e., about 443,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure).

On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.

via CDC – Fact Sheet – Fast Facts – Smoking & Tobacco Use.

ATV Safety Tips

Like other activities involving high speeds and heavy machinery, riding an ATV can be risky. To help stay safe, follow common sense safety tips. Take knowledge to the extreme and learn more about these important tips for safer riding:

  • Get trained
  • Wear a helmet
  • No children on adult ATVs
  • Don’t ride tandem
  • Don’t ride on pavement
  • Don’t ride under the influence

via ATVSafety.gov Safety Tips.

Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

Ergonomics is the scientific study of people at work. The goal of ergonomics is to reduce stress and eliminate injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. This is accomplished by designing tasks, work spaces, controls, displays, tools, lighting, and equipment to fit the employee´s physical capabilities and limitations.

via CDC – Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Driving is a Privilege not a Right

Driving is a privilege. A driver’s license gives you a certain level of freedom, but it also gives you an enormous amount of responsibility. When behind the wheel this responsibility comes in many forms:

•       Wearing safety belt

•       Driving sober

•       Focusing on the road

•       Driving defensively

A lot of responsibility comes with a driver’s license. You have to drive safely, obey the traffic laws, and respect the rights of other drivers. Not only should you concentrate on your own driving, you should also be well aware of the other vehicles around you. Driving safely also includes how and where you park your car. Passengers in your car put their safety in your hands and expect you to drive safe as well.

Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls at Work

What can you do to avoid falling at work?

It is important remembering that safety is everybody business. However, it is employers’ responsibility to provide safe work environment for all employees. Employees can improve their own safety too.

You can reduce the risk of slipping on wet flooring by:

  • taking your time and paying attention to where you are going
  • adjusting your stride to a pace that is suitable for the walking surface and the tasks you are doing
  • walking with the feet pointed slightly outward
  • making wide turns at corners

You can reduce the risk of tripping by:

  • always using installed light sources that provide sufficient light for your tasks
  • using a flashlight if you enter a dark room where there is no light
  • ensuring that things you are carrying or pushing do not prevent you from seeing any obstructions, spills, etc.

via Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls : OSH Answers.

Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Noise Induced Hearing Loss is serious. Some 30 million people are at risk in the workplace, in recreational settings, and at home. In fact, it is the second most self reported work-related illness or injury. Already, 22 million American adults ages 20 to 69 have permanently damaged their hearing from exposure to loud sounds.

via Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Have WISE EARS! for Life! [NIDCD Health Information].

Safety at Work is No Accident

To keep employees safe at work takes a plan and commitment to follow it. The National Safety Council model safety management system includes the following nine elements organized into three key performance areas.

Leadership – Management

  • Management leadership and commitment
  • System management and communications
  • Assessments, audits and performance measurements

Technical – Operational

  • Hazard identification and risk reduction
  • Workplace design and engineering
  • Operational processes and procedures

Cultural – Behavioral

  • Worker and management involvement
  • Motivation, behavior and attitudes
  • Training and orientation
Ben Franklin said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That’s good advise when it comes to safety.

via: national safety council


What Is Total Worker Health?

Total Worker Health™ is a strategy integrating occupational safety and health protection with health promotion to prevent worker injury and illness and to advance health and well-being.

The protection, preservation, and improvement of the health and well-being of all people who work are goals shared by workers, their families, and employers. Today, more than ever, there is increasing evidence that the work environment and the overall health, safety and well-being of the workers within it are strongly connected. Diminished health and injury, whether caused by work or resulting from non-work activities, reduces quality of life, opportunity, and income for workers and those dependent upon them. Conversely, workplaces with low risk of injury and enhanced opportunities for the total health of workers can lead to a vibrant, engaged and highly performing workforce.

via CDC – Total Worker Health What Is Total Worker Health? – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Program.