27 April 2017
WORLD DAY FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK
Tomorrow, the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) World Day for Safety and Health at Work is taking place. This year’s theme focuses on optimising the collection and use of occupational safety and health (OSH) data. The ILO celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that in the UK there are 1.3 million workers suffering from a work related illness. In 2016 there were 0.6 million non-fatal injuries to workers and 0.5 million workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
For the 1.3 million workers that suffer from work-related illness, health and safety needs to improve. One way to achieve this is to develop and advance the collection and utilisation of reliable data for prevention purposes.
At Dolphin Solutions, we understand the importance of health and safety in the workplace, especially in washrooms. Here are our top tips on how you and your workforce can stay safe and healthy in the workplace.
TOP TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY AT WORK
- Know your industry or company hazards and make sure your employees know your workplace’s emergency plan – being aware of your surroundings allows you to keep clear of potential hazardous areas and situations.
- Understand what makes you stressed and learn how to manage it in the workplace. A few tips to help could be knowing the signs of work stress, seeking help and speaking out if you are suffering and don’t forget to connect with your colleagues so they can help you if you need it.
- Give your eyes a rest – staring at a computer all day, everyday is not good for the health of your eyes, give them regular breaks.
- Know your limits – whether this is how much you can do physically or how long you can work overtime for, know how much your body can take.
- Prevent slip hazards in washrooms – installing non-slip flooring or making sure excess water from drying hands is discarded over a sink rather than on the floor, both help to prevent slips and falls.
- Keep chemicals and cleaning products out of reach – cleaning products should be kept out of reach to avoid any accidents and supplies should be kept in an assigned cupboard.
- Make sure fixtures and fittings are attached securely – all fixtures in the office and washroom should be attached securely to prevent anything falling on employees. Water pipes should also be checked for leaks, which could cause a flood or fire hazard.
- Protect your back – when working at a desk keep your shoulders in line with your hips to avoid back problems. In a more physical role, use the correct form when picking things up and avoid stooping or twisting.
- Wear protective clothing if necessary – equipment such as earplugs, earmuffs, hard hats, safety goggles, gloves and full-face masks all greatly reduce the risk of workplace injury.
- Report any accidents straight away.
If you need any advice on how to ensure your washrooms are safe for your workforce get in touch via info@dolphinsolutions.co.uk or for more inspiration have a look at our case studies page.
