Workplace injuries are relatively commonplace nowadays, but this week at Your Glove Source we want to remind you of 10 easy ways to prevent serious injuries from occurring.
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Keep work areas free of cluttered to avoid falls
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls are an exceedingly common workplace injury. On top of this statistic, the Bureau reported that a fourth of all falls were from a height of 10 feet or less. This means employees are tripping, slipping, or falling as a result of disorganized areas or slippery floors.
Injuries from slips, trips or falls can be prevented by aiming to keep work areas tidy and uncluttered. This can be enforced by regularly scheduled cleanings, as it is easy for work areas to quickly accumulate clutter.
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Foster a work culture focused on safety
This responsibility initiates with the managers of a workplace. Through trainings, orientations, and other interactions with employees managers and supervisors have the opportunity to emphasize the importance of workplace safety.
By building this relationship with employees, hopefully the entire workplace will begin to take safety to heart and will begin focusing on maintaining a safe work area. Managers can conduct scheduled inspections to find potential hazards and teach employees how to prevent those from becoming real problems.
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Ensure accessibility to emergency exits and equipment shutoffs
By keeping work areas organized and free of clutter, your employees will in turn be maintaining clear and direct access to emergency exits and equipment shutoffs in the case of a serious safety emergency. Keeping clear paths to these two areas well ensure quick exits and responses in the event of a safety threat.
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Reduce workplace stress
When workers become stressed out or overly-tired, they become more prone to accidents or acting in an unsafe manner. High levels of employee stress can be avoided by creating an open line of communication between employees and supervisors; so that employees have the freedom to communicate when they are feeling strained or stressed. Allowing employees to take regular breaks throughout the day will provide a chance for workers to de-stress and recharge, hopefully preventing any safety dangers.
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Lift heavy objects correctly
When heavy items are lifted incorrectly, the can cause serious back injury to workers. By training workers on how to lift such items with proper form, you will be able to mitigate back injuries.
Heavy objects should be lifted gently and efficiently using thighs and legs, rather than the back. The item should be held close to the body as it is being carried, in order to provide the most stability.
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Provide adequate training for workers on all tools and equipment
When working in any industrial setting where large machinery is present, it is essential that employees are trained and have an understanding of how all the machinery works. This proper knowledge will prevent workers from using machinery incorrectly and therefore will minimize injuries. As well, all heavy machinery should be regularly checked to make sure that it is running correctly.
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Report all potential threats immediately
This goes along with forming a culture of safety; workplace safety is everybody’s responsibility. Managers and supervisors should encourage all employees to notify them of any unsafe conditions they see in the workplace in order to avoid injuries.
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Have a knowledge of chemical hazards
Use of harsh and powerful chemicals are common in most workplaces. Because of this, it is very important that all employees have a knowledge and understanding of the nature of the chemicals they are using. Workers should know the health effects and potential risks that come with working with chemicals.
Along with knowledge of these chemicals, workers can protect themselves to minimize the risk of hand injury by using glove protection. Chemical resistant gloves are available; like this
flock lined version, or these
triple dipped PVC gloves.
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Use correct personal protective equipment for the specific job
Many, if not all industries require some form of PPE for employees. It is important that employees understand how to use their PPE and also that the equipment is comfortable and well-fitting.
Gloves are one of the most common and easily accessible forms of PPE. They come in a wide variety of protection levels, and they provide many benefits including comfort, puncture and chemical resistance, and maintained dexterity and flexibility. They type of glove you choose depends on the workplace environment and the amount of protection needed. Disposable
nitrile or
latex industrial gloves provide superb protection for most applications, while maintaining excellent dexterity. For more heavy duty environments, a more substantial
work glove would be suitable.
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Properly store chemicals
Since chemicals are common in most workplaces, it is important to know how to store them correctly. They should be kept in sealable containers on a closable cabinet or a sturdy shelf with a front-edge lip. The closeable cabinet or front-edge