Just because you work in an environment with a high incidence of injury doesn’t mean that you have to be unsafe. There are several precautions that you can take on a daily basis to protect yourself from accidents and mishaps. Here are some tips that you can use to be safe in the workplace:
Always wear eye protection
One of the most important safety precautions that you can take when working in high risk areas is to protect your eyes. Your eyes are not only the key to your vision; they are one of the most sensitive parts of your entire body. Because of this sensitivity, they are also one of the easiest to injure. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that you make sure you protect your eyes at all times. It can mean the difference between seeing and not seeing.
Wear Helmets, Hard hats or other types of head protection Gear
When dealing with heavy or toxic materials, it is imperative that you seek protection for your head. For workers at construction sites, mines or drill sites, there is a high risk of heavy objects either falling or ricocheting. For this reason, you must always put on your head gear before doing any kind of work with a susceptibility to these kinds of injuries. Usually state laws require the use of protective gear for this kind of work. If you are working in an area and feel like your head is not adequately protected, speak to your employer immediately about securing head gear.
Wear Face Mask
If you happen to be in a construction site or doing any kind of work that requires close contact with toxic chemicals, you must make sure that you wear some mask to cover your nose and mouth. Often times, chemicals, and even debris from buildings such as asbestos can be very damaging to your health if inhaled. In fact, one of the leading causes of injuries in the workplace comes from inhaling toxic substances. It is imperative that if you find yourself working in any work environment with even a minimal risk of contamination that you make sure to wear a face mask at all times.
Thoroughly Wash Clothes After Work
This is an often overlooked but important aspect of safety in the workplace. If you work in an environment where there is constant exposure to toxic chemicals or harmful materials, it is imperative that you make sure to cleanse your work clothes before entering your car or house. To this end, it is advised that you bring a change of clothes to work that you can change into before going home. If possible, take a shower before changing into your clothes to make sure that you don’t bring any chemicals with you.
Communication
This is one of the most important steps that you can take to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you. It is imperative that you maintain communication with those that you work with. If you are in a construction site, communication is a necessity. Before heavy machinery is used or exposure to toxic chemicals begins, you and your team members must be on the same page so that every proper precaution is taken.
Workers’ Compensation can be difficult, confusing, and very complex. Kaplan Morrell has helped thousands of injured workers since 1997 get the benefits they deserve. Contact us here or call us at 303-780-7329 for your FREE CONSULTATION.
