Keeping Yourself Safe at Work

Tips to Keeping Yourself Safe

We all like to believe that we are safe when we go to work. If we thought that we were in constant danger while we sat at our desks, it would be hard to focus on our jobs. However, while you may not always be in life threatening danger, there is still some risk at work. Luckily, there are a few simple things that you can do to help keep yourself safe, along with those around you. Here’s what you need to do:

Know the Emergency Procedures

First off, you need to know what to do in case of an emergency. While most buildings are equipped to handle or prevent major emergencies through their building codes, these are not always followed or effective. In fact, according to fightingforyou.com, “Despite the advancements in technology and compliance, there are still those who choose to ignore building safety codes – leaving some buildings unsuitable for entry.”

If a fire breaks out, where do you go? In the event of an earthquake, where’s the safest place to stand? You don’t want to have to figure these things out in the moment, so it’s better if you know beforehand. If your place of work isn’t already running emergency drills, suggest this to one of your managers. Everyone in the office should know what to do in case of an emergency, and this information should be repeatedly drilled into everyone inside.

Take Your Own Precautions

While the emergency procedures are up to the office, there are still some things you can do on your own. For example, you can keep some basic emergency supplies – like a flashlight or first aid kit – inside your desk. These won’t take up a lot of room, and if you ever need them, you’ll be happy they are there.

If you work in a bad area or must walk through a dark parking garage to get to your car, you can also do something like set up a buddy system. Avoid walking alone, especially at night, and make sure someone always knows where you are.

Your office should be a safe place to work, but you don’t want to rely solely on this. Take your safety into your own hands and take whatever precautions you feel are necessary for your situation.

Study Self Defense

Another thing you can do is study self-defense. It’s an unfortunate fact that many people are assaulted at or just outside their job. By taking a few self-defense classes, you’ll be better prepared to handle whatever might come your way. On top of that, you’ll have more self-confidence, which will help to relieve some of that anxiety you feel when you’re walking to your car at night. Self-defense is a good tool for everyone to know, so look for some local classes in your area to get started.

Learn First Aid

In addition to learning self-defense, another good thing to learn is first aid. Some basic procedures could come in handy one day, both for yourself and those around you. You should learn how to bandage someone up, how to handle a heart attack, what to do if someone is choking, and how to perform CPR. There isn’t always time to wait for an ambulance, so guard your own well-being, and protect those around you – by learning some basic first aid. There are plenty of resources online to help you out, or you can sign up for a class.

What to do if You’re Injured

If, after taking all of the above precautions, you still find yourself injured, here’s what you need to do. First, get yourself medical attention. Your health is the most important thing, so put everything else aside until you are taken care of.

After that, inform your boss of what happened. You need to do this so that there is an official report of your injury, and so that your boss can take steps to prevent similar accidents from happening to someone else.

Finally, if your injury was serious, you may need to file for Worker’s Compensation. This will allow you to collect money until you are able to go back to work. In the event you have trouble collecting the money due to you, contact a lawyer for assistance.

Make Workplace Safety a Priority

You may not think about it all the time, but it’s important that you make safety a priority. Hopefully the day never comes where you experience an emergency at work, but if it does, it’s best to be prepared. Using the tips above you can make yourself safer while at work, allowing you to feel more at ease and enjoy your job more.

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