Hazards in the workplace and how to avoid them
The workplace can be a pretty hazardous place to be. The Health and Safety Executive says that accident rates have fallen over the years as we become more safety conscious but its most recent statistics still show about 629,000 people had an accident at work in 2013/14.
Given that work could and should still be done to help cut that number, let’s explore three of the key dangers of the workplace – and what can be done to tackle them…
Trips and falls
Busy workplaces – no matter what line of work they’re involved in – are littered with potential risks when it comes to trips and falls. Wet floors, trailing cables, loose piles of paperwork and many more common issues can be dangerous hazards.
How to avoid: One of the most important ways to cut the number of trips and falls is communication. Anyone who spots a hazard should report it immediately and people in charge of a company’s health and safety policy should swiftly communicate anything for employees to look out for. Businesses must also be proactive in searching out potential issues before they arise. With pretty much all of the trip hazards in the workplace, if people know about them they will easily avoid them.
Back pain
Back complaints are, according to the NHS, the single biggest cause of long-term sickness in the UK – accounting for 15 million lost work days in 2013. Whether it’s through lifting heavy goods or sitting in uncomfortable office chairs, there’s a number of hazards in the workplace that contribute significantly to this figure.
How to avoid: There are two vital things to help tackle back pain for workers, namely training and equipment. All staff involved in lifting must be fully trained and regularly reminded of the best techniques to avoid injury. Equipment wise, firms should provide chairs that can be easily adjusted to the needs of staff and workers should be shown how to perform these changes. Back support cushions, if required, can also make a big difference in this area.
Blind spot perils
When considering the workplace we should not forget transport. When delivering goods on a business’ behalf, a driver’s vehicle is their workplace and it faces a number of hazards. One of the most concerning comes through the risk of collision and a contributing hazard is the blindspot. This can be worryingly large for a lorry driver as Transport for London proved in an alarming video – leaving open the danger of sideswiping on motorways or crashes with cyclists and pedestrians.
How to avoid: There is a very real possibility that the blind spot can become a thing of the past. Increasingly, large vehicles are being fitting with a series of sensors, cameras and alarms that are able to feed into an image that gives drivers a 360-degree view and alert them to any potential hazards. Brigade Electronics is leading the way in this field.
It’s important to realise that health and safety laws aren’t there to make life difficult but are actually designed to protect us. Identifying hazards is half of the battle and through common sense, communication and the latest technological developments these can be effectively addressed to make work safer for us all.