Contributed to The Chief
In today's fast-paced, technology driven society, preserving individual health and safety, not to mention well being, can easily be overlooked. A globally competitive economy means workplaces are forced to do more with less in order to survive, but this can take a damaging toll in human terms.
Workers in all types of industry are working harder than ever, often with one person performing the job of two. As employers minimize human resource expenditures in an effort to remain competitive, the increasing pace and load of work places greater strain on workers. Unchecked, the physical and mental strain of such pressure on workers can lead to injury, disease and potential disability.
In addition to traditional workplace safety consciousness, current trends mean that individuals must take steps to safeguard their health and safety at work more than ever before. Employers meanwhile, should support workplace health and safety initiatives to protect their most valuable resource - their employees.Although every job has unique characteristics and demands, some conditions, such as musculoskeletal injuries, are common across a variety of occupations. Regardless of the heavy or light nature of a given job, musculoskeletal injuries continue to be widespread and a major source of disability and work absence - repetitive strain injuries (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis), low-back sprain/strain, disc pathology, shoulder and lower extremity injuries are most prevalent.
To minimize the risk of these and other injuries, individuals should take personal responsibility for their own safety by increasing their awareness of their work environment, safety guidelines, work style, and communicating any safety concerns to their employer. Concurrently, employers have a responsibility to ensure safety concerns of employees are addressed, to strive for a safe work environment and to provide adequate training and resources for safety related issues.
Even in the absence of a formal Health and Safety Program, employers and employees can work together through open communication and awareness to improve the conditions of their particular workplace.
In the spirit of North American Safety and Health Week May 1-7 2005, employers and workers are urged to consider the 'wellness' of their workplace, identify both individual and organizational areas of concern, and take steps to minimize risks wherever possible. Visit the following websites for helpful information on workplace safety and reducing risk of injury:
www.healthandsafetycentre.org/s/Home.asp
www.ccohs.ca
www.canoshweb.org
www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/ gateways/topics/oxs-gxr.shtml
Christine Reynolds, BHK
樱桃视频Physio Sports & Spinal Manipulation Centre
