With more people working onsite, businesses should make sure the workplace is safe for their employees. They should check for hazards at the workplace and implement measures to reduce the risk of work-related injuries.
Employers should focus on reducing the risk of slips and falls since these accidents accounted for around 27 percent of nonfatal injuries at work in 2019. The pandemic also poses a threat to the health and safety of employees. So, businesses should work to mitigate the effects of the virus when they ask their employees to start working in the office.
Here are the workplace hazards that businesses should look out for and work to mitigate their effects.
Health Hazards
When the pandemic started over a year ago, many businesses asked their employees to work from home to avoid getting infected. And even though the situation has improved, the virus is still around and continues to pose a threat to the health and safety of employees working on site.
Due to this, businesses should implement measures to protect their employees. These measures include regular health checks, use of face masks, and installation of hand sanitizers in strategic locations in the office. The business should also conduct regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces in the office.
Monitoring state and federal public health announcements are also important. Businesses should encourage employees to stay home if they feel sick. Companies should also keep open communication lines with their employees regarding their health and safety during the pandemic.
Safety Issues
With slips and falls being common causes of workplace injuries, businesses should take measures to prevent these accidents from happening. They should focus on dealing with safety issues that cause these accidents. These safety issues include frayed electrical wires and unprotected machinery, among others.
But workplaces that do not have equipment that causes major injuries should still look out for safety hazards in their premises. These hazards include uneven floors, unstable work surfaces, and icy walkways. The weather also plays a major factor since it can make walkways, ramps, and exterior steps slippery due to ice formation during winter.
Employees should also do their part. They should watch their step, especially if there are telephone cords that can trip them. They should also walk carefully when winter comes since ice will form on the walkways and make them slippery.
But an employee can claim disability benefits for mental impairments if he suffers from traumatic brain injury due to accidents at work. Slip and fall accidents can cause head injuries leading to traumatic brain injuries. To claim the benefits, he should prove that the injury was caused by accident. In this instance, he should work with a lawyer who specializes in these cases to increase the chances of receiving compensation.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards also pose a threat to the safety of employees working onsite. This is particularly true in businesses that use chemicals in their products. In these situations, companies should implement the necessary measures to keep their employees safe.
But businesses should also make sure to keep their employees safe from the improper use of sanitizers. While sanitizers keep them safe from the virus, they should also make sure that the employees are aware of the proper use of hand sanitizers. They should keep the chemical out of their eyes.
The employees should also avoid putting it close to their food to prevent accidentally spilling the sanitizer on food. Additionally, they should remember that sanitizers are alcohol-based, which makes them flammable. So, they should keep sanitizers away from flames and heat.
Ergonomic Issues
Working in front of a computer the whole day results in ergonomic issues if the employee sits all the time. These ergonomic issues are related to repetitive movement and posture. They are not easy to detect, making them a hidden workplace hazard that businesses must consider.
To deal with this issue, businesses should provide adjustable chairs and desks to their employees. The adjustable office equipment can accommodate different work styles. They also require setting up, which means companies should work with their employees to ensure they are suitable for their workstations.
The eTool online training tool of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides ergonomic guidelines that businesses should use to set up the workstation of their employees to prevent ergonomic issues.
The online tool also provides guidelines on the positioning of the chair, monitor, and keyboard. It also teaches employees how they should sit to avoid health issues in the future. The HR department should also monitor any musculoskeletal disorder symptoms that the employees will exhibit while at work.
Taking care of the employees’ health is essential for businesses to avoid issues when they start working on site.
