There are some jobs that are obvious in their danger: for example, a stuntman, deep sea diver, boxer. Then there are jobs that are carried out in a potentially dangerous environment, such as a factory, farm or road. And then there are the ones where there should be no danger at all, such as the office.
If due diligence is followed and safety measure are implemented the vast majority of accidents will be eliminated before they can occur, but accidents do happen – according to the latest Health and Safety Executive workplace figures, injuries and ill health cost the UK economy an estimated £13.8 billion in 2010/11.
The phrase ‘health and safety’ might send an embittered shiver down the spine of many employers who have been forced to follow strict guidelines, but in reality many thousands of accidents and heavy compensation payouts have probably been prevented by companies’ health and safety policies up and down the country.
Farms are particularly dangerous environments, and while farm deaths have fallen in the past two years NFU Mutual still warned that the injury figures were far too high in this piece in Farmers Guardian. Accidents involving machinery cost more than £19m during 2013, while falls from height cost another £3.7m.
Factories are filled with hazards that present immediate and long-term danger; chemical exposure and repeated exposure to light or sound can have devastating long-term effects. Moving parts, electrical equipment and vehicles can create immediate and deadly consequences. Simple measures such as alarms, warning signs, and wearing goggles and noise reducers are a start, but even then most companies can and should go much further.
Training in lifting, and shelf stacking could help, as could the implementation of some electronic safety measures. For example, one in four workplace vehicle accidents are caused by reversing vehicles, which could be largely eliminated if more companies used reversing alarms, such as those created by Brigade Electronics.
More than a third of all accidents in the UK are the result of slips and trips, often after water and hot drinks have been spilled on smooth surfaces. Employers should ensure steps to eliminate risks such as these, and a lot of this is common sense – spillages should be cleaned immediately, or a warning sign placed nearby. Sometimes an employer can be pro-active in eliminating the problem before it arises – salting a path if an icy night is predicted, for example.
Regular tours of the workplace will identify hazards such as wires, incorrect chemical storage and items that could present obstacles. It’s a simple rule, but one which makes sense; a clutter-free environment, with doors and drawers closed and a clear line of vision, is a safe one.
Also think about individuals and their needs – lifting that is easy for a 15 stone man could be much less comfortable for an older person or a pregnant woman, for example. Everyone in the work place might be aware of the loose paving slab at the front door – but are members of the public?
Not all hazards are immediate. Some movements take time to present themselves as dangers in the form of repeated, subtle or slow actions that put pressure onto the body’s posture. Repetitive strain, back, head and neck injuries are some of the more common complaints. Footrests and adjustable chairs should be available to employers who request them, and instructions should be available for their use. Most of us probably know at least one person whose chair isn’t ‘right’, but they fail to find out how to adjust it, and the effects can be serious in later years – here’s how to alleviate back pain at work courtesy of the NHS.
One last point: don’t just ‘leave it to someone else’ to sort out. Someone unaware of a hazard could be badly injured through your sloppiness in the intervening period between you establishing a problem and dealing with it.