Is Your Workplace Safe? Find Out Here

Workplace wellness is rearing its head and according to Andrews Air Quality, which commissioned the research, the findings leave a lot to be desired:

• A whopping 59 percent of people surveyed think their employer needs to do more to put fewer staff at risk.
• And 71 percent said their desks are not configured properly, meaning they regularly suffer aches and pains.
• Add to this the 55 percent who say the air quality is poor.
• Another 23 percent regularly work around cables they believe could be a tripping hazard, while 19 percent say they don’t get any natural light.
• A further 20 percent have worked in places that have had spillages which were not being cleaned up and 15 percent have seen plug sockets overloaded with electrical items.
• And 30 percent consider their workplace an “accident waiting to happen.”

The main cause of injury risk, however, was deemed to be mental.  Overworked employees at risk of burnout came in at 27 percent.

Why is safety so important?  When a company provides a safe work environment, they are protecting themselves, their employees, and their customers.  Additionally, a safe workplace is a happy workplace, as it creates a more comfortable and conducive environment for employees to effectively do their jobs.

With regards to ownership, in some organizations the HR department is in charge of making sure safe workplace standards are being met.  Other companies may not have a HR representative, and in that case, management and supervisors need to ensure the workplace is kept safe.

Jill, What Can I Do?  To access the 20-question Safety Survey – and find out if your workplace is safe or a health and safety nightmare – go here.  In reality, it is the responsibility of everyone to create and maintain a safe and functional work environment.