Safety and Health in the Workplace - Injury Prevention

Safety and health in the workplace and injury prevention has become forefront in the workplace. This is great news for absolutely everyone. Every employee deserves to go home as healthy a when they arrived. Sometimes this means they need to do a little "extra" work to take care of themselves. A good employer will teach their workers how to prevent injuries and how to stay safe at work. Here are the two main types of injuries and how you can teach your employees to prevent them.

What types of injuries are happening in the workplace?

1. Back Strain and Pain

If you were to ask a room full of adults if there was anyone in that room that had never had a sore back, you probably would have a hard time finding one person that answered yes! The truth is that over 75 percent of adults experience back pain. Only about 15 percent of back pain is related to medical or health issues. That means that 85 percent of back pain is related to things like incorrect posture, lifting incorrectly, lack of exercise, weight gain and smoking.

Training for back safety is a good, NO, let me re-phrase that, training for back safety is a great way to prevent accidents. Because by focusing on protecting ones own body, accidents can be prevented. If people feel better, they are less likely to pull, or strain muscles. Back safety training should teach the following items:

* The basics of the back; the spine, vertebrae & discs, the muscles and the natural curves of the spine.
* The importance of preventing back strain through material handling techniques and proper lifting techniques.
* Importance of drinking plenty of water.
* Importance and how to lose excess weight.
* Various ideas and ways to eat healthier.
* Resource to help people quit smoking and drinking alcohol.

Safety and Health in the workplace starts with a healthy worker!

2. Neck and Shoulder Pain

There are many reasons and causes for neck and shoulder pain. Like back pain, there are few adults who have not experienced neck or shoulder discomfort. All of the same principles hold true in preventing neck and shoulder pain as in preventing back pain. Improper work habits, injury and accidents all contribute to a sore neck and shoulder. One thing that is a little unique with the neck and shoulder is that many people tend to "carry" stress and tension in that area of their body.

When training workers about accident prevention, be sure to point out the following special ways that they can reduce or prevent neck and shoulder pain:

* Maintain a good posture when working. Do not hunch.
* Warm up and stretch before doing strenuous activity.
* Invest in a good pillow.
* Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
* Lift loads properly and exercise good body mechanics when moving objects.

These are just two of the categories of injury prevention. Safety and health in the workplace does not just happen accidentally. A successful safety program will teach injury prevention.

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