Safe workplaces attract and maintain loyal employee bases, help reduce costs and keep the businesses in line with government agency regulations for workplace safety. While a safe workplace helps promote a positive work environment, distinct physical benefits come along with safety. Everyone in the workplace enjoys physical benefits when their work environment is a safe one. Exploring the benefits of maintaining a safe workplace may help motivate you to establish policies and regulations that promote safety.
Reduced Accidents
Safe workplaces take measures to prevent and reduce accidents that can result in employees injuring their backs, legs, shoulders or other body parts because of broken equipment, wet areas where people can slip or shoddy workmanship resulting in accidents from careless labor. When employees work in a workplace featuring well-maintained equipment, safe surface areas, easily accessed operating instructions and functioning electrical systems, physical benefits include increased freedom from accidents, reducing overall pain and suffering.
Reduced Strain
Workplaces promoting safety employ numerous strategies for keeping their employees healthy. Safe workplaces promote correct posture with ergonomic chairs, appropriately sized desks, computer equipment placed optimally for safe viewing that doesn’t strain the eyes, and resources that are easily accessed without unsafe climbing, leaning or reaching. Employees enjoy the physical benefits of healthy wrists, eyes, knees and spines that comes from using appropriate office furniture that reduces strain. Employers may notice increased productivity from employees when the workplace is optimized for physical comfort.
Air Quality
Employees will literally breathe easier in safe workplaces free from chemical pollution, asbestos, dust, cigarette smoke or other allergens. Unhealthy breathing conditions can lead to chronic coughs, colds, lung infections or more lasting medical complications. The physical benefit of a clean, safe environment ensures that employees are able to breathe fresh, clean air while working.
Reduced Stress
Unsafe workplaces may cause unhealthy stress levels among employees fearful of threats from co-workers, dramatic altercations with management or persistent problems related to parking lot theft and other challenges. High stress levels may increase blood pressure, lower immunity to colds and other viruses and cause chronic headaches or migraines and other physical strains. When employees believe that they’re working in a safe work environment, their stress levels may be lowered.
Intervention
When safe workplaces foster intervention programs for alcohol or drug abuse, domestic violence or other societal challenges, employees can directly benefit by becoming healthier by reducing alcohol or drug intake or leaving dangerous abuse situations. It may also help co-workers direct one another toward needed services.
- f17944cc211124624526da456dcbf9b415.jpg