Here’s how you can avoid injury in the workplace.
It’s an employer’s responsibility to keep their employees safe to the best of their ability. We recently wrote about how HR and H&S laws exist to protect people from unethical employers, and do our very best to support companies to properly look after their people.
That being said, there are things that employees can do to contribute to their own safety and wellbeing while on the job. An injury will affect you as the worker most of all, so it’s a good idea to take all possible precautions to prevent one. You wouldn’t want to jeopardise your weekend rugby match/marathon training/bush walk/jet ski ride!
What you’re risking
If you’re not aware of and using good injury prevention practice in your work, you could get injured—it’s a fairly simple cause and effect. We know it’s all too easy to dismiss certain precautions as being too much bother, but there are real risks and consequences in play. Work injuries are far from uncommon.
According to ACC’s record-keeping, workplace injuries in 2022 cost $968,565,575 in active claims, to give you a sense of the scale of the issue. The most recent numbers from Stats NZ show that 223,300 claims were made in 2021 for an incidence rate of 90 claims per 1,000 FTE employees. Higher incidence rates were shown in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries, and amongst those with a trades occupation. WorkSafe reported 3,0624 injuries that resulted in at least a week away from work in 2022, and 60 work-related fatalities. The most common type of injury resulting in at least a week away from work was muscular stress as a result of lifting, carrying, or putting down objects.
While NZ workers are covered by ACC, being injured at work does not mean a stress-free paid holiday. Your wages will only be partially covered, and if there is a long-term injury your workplace may work with ACC to find a way you can return earlier in a different role. Of course, the effects of injuries sustained at work are not confined to the workplace—your mobility and good health are major assets when it comes to enjoying your free time, too.
Take action: How to prevent injuries in the workplace
We are passionate about helping companies achieve better wellbeing for workers! Injury prevention is a major part of this, and an area in which Ben in particular has shop floor experience. Here are his top tips to help you stay safe and uninjured as you work.
- If you’re doing any lifting, bending, or anything physically strenuous, think like an athlete! Operating heavy equipment and lifting boxes is not unlike a gym session, and you should prepare accordingly by warming up and stretching before and after.
- Staying hydrated is important. And while it’s easier to remember this in the summer when you’re hot and hanging out for a drink, it’s also important in winter. Have a water bottle available and don’t forget to keep sipping. This keeps you alert and able to function optimally.
- Don’t be a hero! If there are lifting aids or safety equipment available, use them. We know that it’s tempting to go without when you can’t be bothered finding or setting up whatever the relevant equipment might be, but always take the time. If you need help from a workmate, ask and wait until they are available.
- Don’t allow yourself to be pressured by employers to do something that you believe is unsafe or will injure you. Remember, the consequences of being injured go beyond the workplace!
- Stay active and mobile as much as possible! This doesn’t mean you need to join a gym and train specifically for work—keeping as fit as you can is a benefit not only for your job but for the rest of your life, too. You might like to go for walks, play sports, swim, dance, or something else. Whatever it is, make sure it’s enjoyable.
In any aspect of work, a bit of creativity and initiative goes a long way. Don’t assume you have to do things the way they’ve always been done (unless there are rules in place, of course!) if you think there’s a safer way. Get creative. Rethink the plan. Look at it from another angle. Don’t be afraid to ask your boss to get on board. You could make enduring positive change in your company and prevent injuries for your coworkers, too!
There are plenty of resources available to employers and employees. This guide to manual handling by WorkSafe is great for those who lift, carry, and handle loads in the course of their work. This guide to applying road safety within a workplace, applicable in both Australia and New Zealand, helps organisations work towards better road safety. This WorkSafe guide to ergonomics is great for those using computers for long periods.
TL;DR: Say no to injuries at work
Injuring yourself at work can result in time off (with ACC covering only part of your wage), inability to do your usual role, and long-term physical, emotional, and lifestyle effects both in your work and your life outside of it. Stats show that workplace injuries are a common occurrence, particularly in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and trades—so don’t think it won’t happen to you.
While it’s an employer’s responsibility to keep employees safe, workers can and should contribute to injury prevention. Here are a few ways you can take control of your wellbeing and stay in one piece:
- Warm up and stretch when lifting, carrying, or doing anything physically strenuous.
- Stay hydrated, even in winter.
- Use any lifting aids or other safety equipment available, even if it seems embarrassing or inconvenient.
- Don’t be pressured to do things you feel are unsafe or might injure you.
- Stay active and mobile outside of work, even if it just means going for the occasional walk or swim—or playing your favourite sport.
Injury-free with Emendas
At Emendas, we believe that workplaces can and should support employees in keeping safe and free of injury at work. We also want to empower individuals to do this for themselves, and hope that these simple tips provide a solid starting point.
For a broader look at how you can look after your wellbeing at work, take a look at this blog post!