It is very important that employees are well-educated on the proper safety elements within an employee’s workspace because workers have a responsibility to be actively involved in ensuring a safe workplace is maintained.
What is workplace safety?
Workplace safety is about preventing injury and illness to employees and volunteers in the workplace.
Workers’ Duty
Workers have a duty of care to report issues that could affect their health and safety to their employer as they are identified.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is defined as the study of workplace equipment design or how to arrange and design devices, machines, or workspace so that people and things interact safely and most efficiently. Since a poorly-designed workstation can slow staff down, increase their stress, and contribute to chronic conditions, it is important each person organizes workspace to keep twists, turns and uncomfortable movements to an absolute minimum. Here are some tips:
Local Resources
Free Worksite Ergonomic Evaluation—Health Protection Office
Health Protection Office – Ergonomics Program – 335-9547
This program is geared toward dealing with ergonomics as it relates to musculoskeletal disorders from both a pro-active and reactive measure. For questions, please contact David Hackbarth, Safety Engineer and Ergonomics Specialist, Health Protection Office.UI Back Care , UIHC
UI Back Care is a division of the Department of Orthopaedics at UI Health Care, which offers patients traditional treatments as well as an alternative, multidisciplinary approach to chronic neck and back pain.
Temperature Extremes
Many workers are exposed to excessive heat and cold conditions, which can cause employees to experience heat-induced ailments such as a heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps or hypothermia. Here are some preventive measures:
In an Emergency