There were nearly 3 million workplace injuries in 2018. The good news is that this number seems to be decreasing year after year. It also should be noted that most of these injuries came from retail workers and related industries.
Meanwhile, many of the industries related to heavy machinery or other dangerous equipment ranked lower on the list, most likely due to better training.
Regardless of where these injuries are occurring and why, it’s always important to practice jobsite safety. There are a lot of things you can do to keep yourself from getting injured on the job, and we’ll talk about some of them in the paragraphs below.
1. Understand the Risks
The easiest way to get injured on the jobsite is to be unaware of, or simply lose respect for, the circumstances you’re in. Knowing the risks of your jobs and why tasks are done the way they are is a great way to ensure jobsite safety.
Knowing the conditions that can cause injuries might prevent workers from creating or worsening those conditions. They can also make you aware of problems you might personally have. If you have a particular safety issue that you think could be a problem for you, try talking to your boss and seeing if they have any advice.
2. Take Breaks
Did you know that sleep deprivation was one of the factors in the Chernobyl meltdown? While most of us don’t work with nuclear materials and may not have a job that causes sleep loss, drowsiness is still dangerous.
For this reason, it’s essential to take breaks during the day. Many recommend taking several shorter breaks rather than one long one. This may boost productivity and raise job satisfaction.
Many advise doing the most difficult and stressful tasks of the job when you’re fully awake. This may mean that you get started the first thing in the morning, or that you wait an hour or so until you’re less tired.
3. Reduce Stress
Going hand-in-hand with regular breaks is the idea of reducing stress. Physical and mental exhaustion are among the symptoms of stress, but they’re not the only one. It may also make workers unhappy and make it harder to focus.
Your boss can help by shortening shifts or trying to reduce the workload. They can also give more days off or even trying to set up fun events during work that make things a little more whimsical.
Companies have done all sorts of things to relax their employees, such as paper airplane contests or inviting pets in, occasionally. There are also more typical steps, such as casual Fridays or quitting early and inviting your employees for drinks.
4. Keep Clean
When we say ‘keep clean’ we don’t mean to stay off drugs or alcohol, although you should do that, too. We’re talking about keeping your workplace clean.
This is important whether you work at a desk or on an industrial catwalk. Leaving things laying around can create hazards for tripping. It can also make necessary materials harder to access.
Another hazard that doesn’t get talked about much is germs. In addition to avoiding clutter, it’s also a good idea to clean things every once in a while and sanitize your hands before shaking.
5. Safety Gear
While this isn’t an issue for most professions, there are instances where you may have to wear safety equipment. This may be true whether you work in a laboratory, a hospital or on a construction site.
In fact, it’s not always wearable equipment that can help keep you safe. For instance, it may be preferable to load something onto a forklift rather than trying to lift it yourself.
If you think your workplace needs a piece of safety equipment you don’t have, talk to your boss or other higher-ups to see if they can get it.
6. Use Equipment Properly
This probably goes without saying, but you shouldn’t use equipment you weren’t trained for, nor should you use anything for a purpose other than its intended one.
Follow every procedure to the letter. They are there for a reason, especially when it comes to heavy machinery or hazardous worksites.
The modern workplace was built on a history of poor ethical and safety standards, which have lead to the laws we have today. Simply put, there are a lot of stories out there about what happens when you don’t do things properly. Usually, they’re horror stories.
7. First Aid Training
While first aid training isn’t technically necessary in most cases, it’s definitely worth pursuing. Are you going to use it? Probably not, but things happen and it’s best to be prepared.
You may even want to take a CPR class while you’re at it. CPR is another great thing to know regardless of what industry you’re in. Even the boy scouts are taught how to do it.
Not only that, but it’s a marketable job skill. Should your current job not work out for some reason, other employers will be impressed by first aid training. You’ll be a walking asset for jobplace safety.
Jobsite Safety: What to Know
There are many different ways to stay safe at work. We’ve mentioned a few tips on proper jobsite safety in the paragraphs above, but there are plenty more out there. We encourage you to do more research on your own if you’re interested.
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