What Are Some Guidelines For On-Site Occupational Health and Safety Services

Within a company, the business leader is responsible for ensuring that each employee is provided a safe, healthy environment to perform their job duties. In saying that, the workplace, as a rule, is generally safe, but improvements need to be made to try to eliminate injuries and the potential for fatalities.

According to OSHA (quote): “Each employer shall furnish to each of his employee’s employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” (end quote)

In that same vein, it falls to the employee to follow these health and safety guidelines in order to avoid accidents or injury. Let’s look at a few things an employee can do to be more health-conscious on the job and thus more productive and responsible.

Helpful Hints For Improving Workplace Health And Safety

According to OSHA, an employer must provide a safe work environment for every employee working in a company away from any danger that could result in their harm or potentially cause a fatality. Learn how on-site clinics could be beneficial on the jobsite at https://www.healthgram.com/insight/onsite-clinics-6-benefits-for-your-employees-and-bottom-line/.

It lies with the employee to follow the health and safety guidelines the employer establishes in their effort to keep the employees free from harm. In not doing so, the employee puts themselves at risk for accident or injury, not to mention repercussions from the employer for disregarding the company regulations. 

Check out these helpful hints on making the workplace a more healthy and safe atmosphere where you can enjoy better morale and a greater sense of productivity.

Learn your specific work area and the spaces in the building where you tend to travel

It’s vital to understand where you might come in contact with hazards so those areas can be avoided. Set the intention to ask a manager in those specific spaces which spots present as dangerous. 

Equipment can give an employee problems if they’re uncertain of the proper operation. Before engaging with any machinery, ensure that you receive adequate training and practice with supervision before initiating solo use. Don’t attempt to do so until you feel entirely comfortable with the system.

A healthy back requires good posture

Back problems can develop over time when sedentary for long periods and becoming unaware of how you’re sitting, often becoming slumped over a keyboard or slouching in a chair. It can also happen when standing or leaning over. Proper posture shows shoulders evenly aligned with the hips. 

That can be difficult to maintain for an extended period without standing up now and again to take a break. The suggestion is to get up roughly every hour to walk around for a few minutes, making it easier to resume the correct posture.

Breaks are necessary to remain alert

Becoming burned out means you’re not alert on the job site, making you prone to a workplace injury or accident. The employer assigns breaks to avoid the potential for burnout, and each employee needs to take advantage of their break time to refresh.

The recommendation is to work on the most challenging projects first thing in the morning when you’re at your best. Slow down as the day goes allowing a break in the morning and one mid-afternoon. A schedule like this will keep you alert and productive throughout the day.

Emergency exits should be in your view

You should be aware of where the emergency exits are and have easy access to these from your station if there’s an event requiring you to use these quickly. You’ll also need to make sure you know how to shut down the equipment emergently and practice doing so so that there’s no chaos but rather a smooth exit.

Stress in the workplace

Typically high levels of stress can lead to issues with concentration along with episodes of depression. Stress can be caused by manager conflicts, problems with coworkers, extended work hours, heavy workloads, and job insecurity. See here for an overview of occupational health.

When you’re experiencing immense stress on the job, it’s beneficial to speak to your supervisor to find solutions, so the work environment doesn’t present as stressful. 

The idea is to enjoy a peaceful, productive, and pleasant atmosphere where you have camaraderie with coworkers and feel the managers are working towards your best interest. If that’s not the case, improvements need to be made towards that end. 

Final Thought

A healthy and safe work environment should be the expectation for every person getting hired into a new company, as it’s the employer’s responsibility to provide that atmosphere. 

Once the employee learns the on-site occupational health guidelines set forth by the employer, it’s up to that employee to uphold those guidelines to avoid potential accidents and injuries on the job. 

The employee can also see the possibility of consequences from the employer for failing to meet the workplace expectations when neglecting to follow the guidelines.