Workplace health and safety is one of the most important concerns for any company or organization. Maintaining a safe working environment that protects the wellbeing of their employees is one of the primary responsibilities of anyone who has staff.
However, this can also be one of the most challenging areas to get right. Every workplace has its own risks to health and safety, which vary across different industries and sectors. Equally, every sector has its own unique ways to best promote the health and well-being of its employees.
Here is a summary of the key risks and concerns in different sectors, and advice on how to best manage them to promote a safe and healthy workplace.
Business Sector
One of the biggest risks for employees in the business sector is indoor air quality. Air quality can be poor in offices due to a variety of reasons, such as contaminants in the system (mold, construction dust, asbestos), pollutants brought inside by air conditioning, radon accumulation, or simply poor ventilation.
All of these can be very harmful to workers particularly in the long term, including causing severe respiratory damage. Businesses should regularly check the air quality inside their offices and take immediate steps to address any issues found, such as removing contaminants or improving ventilation.
Consulting with a Radon Mitigation System Installation Company and a mold removal company would be a good start.
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Another great risk for those working in the business sector is to do with lifestyle. Long hours in front of the computer can play havoc with physical and mental health, due to lack of exercise, poor eating habits and a lack of work-life balance.
One of the best things business leaders can do to promote the health of their employees is to encourage better lifestyle habits. This could include supplying healthy snacks at work, setting up exercise-based activities in the workplace, or encouraging better work-life balance by establishing structures that allow staff to work more flexible or simply fewer hours.
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Education Sector
The biggest health and safety concerns for workplaces in the education sector is the transmissions of disease and infections. Schools, colleges and universities have large numbers of people in constant contact, such as student, faculty, and other staff members.
This creates a large number of opportunities for the spread of infections, particularly colds, flu and bacterial infections.
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Additionally, if common areas are not kept meticulously clean, and/or the necessary supplies are not provided to ensure proper hygiene (antibacterial hand wash, hand-drying facilities, and so on), educational institutions become the perfect breeding ground for infections.
This can lead to high rates of absenteeism for both students and staff, which is damaging to learning outcomes. Other negative effects include poor staff morale and damage to the reputation of the institution.
Education workplace safety means making sure all facilities and maintained to the utmost standards of hygiene and cleanliness at all times. This is particularly true of classrooms, cafeterias and bathrooms, though cleanliness in all areas in important. To help achieve this, it is critical that staff have the time and equipment necessary to maintain the highest standards of hygiene.
Industrial Sector
The industrial sector by its nature involves a number of hazards and risks. From heavy machinery and vehicles to factory equipment it is important that businesses and organizations within the sector have appropriate systems, like warning signage, and structures in place to manage these risks and protect the health and safety of their employees.
Employers are legally obligated to provide effective warning to employees, worksite visitors and customers of any risk to their health.
In addition, if your industry deals with chemicals and dangerous goods, appropriate measures need to be in place to ensure the safety of workers and visitors to the site. For instance, employers will need to consider the safe storage and handling of these dangerous goods and hazardous chemicals. You can find out more on the storemasta blog, about how best to manage the risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
It is also critical to keep all employees accountable by rewarding positive behaviors and coming down hard on all violations. This may require some investment, however doing so not only promotes better workplace health and safety, but it also protects the company through less absences, less costs associated with illness and injury, and better productivity.
For employees in the public safety industry, it may be necessary to provide armor plates for their protection, safety, and security.
Health Sector
The health sector features a number of unique working conditions, which come with their own risks to health and safety. One of the most obvious risks faced by healthcare workers is high exposure rates to infections and diseases.
For this reason, hygiene processes are critical, and exemplary hygiene systems must be checked and implemented for all employees in the sector.
In the hospital and clinic setting, there are also risks associated with lifting, supporting and moving patients, as well as handling equipment. To protect health care workers from these risks, it is critical that all employees are trained in safe techniques and processes.
Research within the healthcare sector also has a certain risk associated with working in research settings such as laboratories. In this setting, it is important to have procedures for the safe handling of chemicals and laboratory equipment, as well as safely managing spills or gases.
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