Is safety the top priority in your workplace? Even companies that have plenty of precautions around their properties often overlook less obvious issues. In National Safety Month 2020 – this campaign is hosted by the National Safety Council (NSC) each June – some attention is placed on these more subtle problems in the average workplace.
Ergonomic Designs – Or Lack Thereof
Continually repeated the same movement or using the same piece of equipment can eventually cause an injury, called a repetitive stress injury (RSI). Ergonomics is a design concept that intentionally makes items more comfortable for extended use. Your workplace should be integrating ergonomic designs whenever possible. Everything from your office chair and computer mouse to even glasses that reduce eyestrain can be ergonomically designed to protect your health while at work.
Most workers’ compensation policies will cover repetitive stress injuries, too. If you have been experiencing chronic pain and you think using nonergonomic items in your workplace has caused it, then you should explore your workers’ comp options.
Prioritizing Mental Health
Most employers are so focused on the physical wellbeing of their employees that they completely forget about their mental health. Pushing workers constantly, demanding overtime, taking away day-offs, and allowing discrimination to exist in the workplace are all ways that an employer can endanger the mental health of their employees. As time goes on, employees can become overstressed and develop mental health difficulties, like depression, anxiety, or insomnia.
Are you feeling like your mental health is at risk due to workplace stressors? You might be eligible to seek workers’ compensation to allow you time to recover and possibly work with a psychiatrist if necessary.
Building a Safety Culture
National Safety Month 2020 also encourages everyone to talk about “building a safety culture” in the workplace. The idea is that safety needs to become something inherent in everyone with a company so that it is part of their shared values, rather than something only met through conscious effort.
Safety cultures can be built by consistently talking about safety. Yearly rallies about workplace safety are helpful, but only minimally. Instead, safety is something that should be discussed often and integrated into every process. Rewards can be given to employees who are the “safest” each week or who come up with new ways to promote safety.
Do you have any questions about using workers’ compensation benefits after experiencing an injury or accident in the workplace? If you live in Santa Clarita, Glendale, or anywhere in between, you can count on the Law Office of Wax & Wax for legal guidance. Call us at (818) 946-0608 today.