Staying Safe On the Job
No one anticipates getting injured on the job, but in 2011, nearly three million workers in the United States suffered a work-related injury or illness severe enough to land them in the emergency room. Some industries immediately come to mind when you think of on-the-job safety, such as manufacturing, farming and shipping. Other industries where workers face danger are more subtle. Fortunately, modern technology has given us a plethora of protective equipment to help keep us safe in whatever work environment we find ourselves. Here’s a look at safety concerns in a few of the obvious — and not so obvious — sectors of American business.
1. Construction worker
The men and women who work on building sites have one of the highest incidences of injuries in the United States. That’s not surprising. Falls, the number one cause of construction site injuries, harm more than 4,500 workers each year and result in around 50 deaths. In addition, working with electricity, forklifts and debris on job sites all result in casualties. What can workers do? First, use the safety devices provided by your employer. No matter how many years you’ve worked on construction sites, you can still be injured. Wearing hard hats, steel-toed shoes and using fall protection is also important. The best safety tip of all is to be aware. A job site is no place to be distracted by your latest text message.
2. Restaurant server
Working in a restaurant may not seem like a dangerous job. However, trays loaded with heavy plates and glassware, slick kitchen floors and burns from steam and hot plates contribute a good number of workman’s compensation claims each year. Workers can minimize the risk of injury while working in restaurants by wearing shoes with non-skid tread, insisting employers use rubber mats on slippery kitchen floors and by bending from the knees, not the waist, when carrying large trays.
3. Firefighter
It takes guts and training to run towards a burning building, not away from it. Fortunately, protective gear like fire suits and helmets help keep brave men and women safe while they are protecting our families and property. The job of safely but quickly driving a fire truck to the scene is equally important, as is obtaining EMT certification in order to help persons affected by the fire.
4. Liquor store cashier
You wouldn’t think standing behind a counter would be dangerous, but it can be. Liquor store employees face a high incidence of robberies, many accompanied by knives and guns. Bulletproof glass may seem impersonal, but it is increasingly a part of keeping workers in such jobs safe, as is on-the-job training for what to do in the case of an emergency.
5. Farm worker
Getting up before dawn, working alone and handling heavy, dangerous equipment: it’s a recipe for on-the-job injuries. Not surprisingly, farm workers have a higher than average incidence of work-related mishaps. In fact, agricultural workers have seven times the risk of a work injury than the average worker. What can you do to minimize this risk? Keep your farm equipment well-maintained and in good working order, work in teams when you can and use protective gear when working with chemicals and pesticides.
Staying safe on the job begins with the individual workers. Your employer needs to provide a safe working environment, but nothing beats being alert, aware and cautious as you go through your daily work routine.
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