1.      Prohibiting solo lifting of heavy loads; encourage employees to work together instead. 

2.      Include lifting and other physical requirements during the hiring process. If a position calls for strenuous activity, ensure the person is physical fit. 

3.      Require more frequent short breaks, rather than longer, less frequent breaks. 

4.      Providing various lifting aids; to include back braces, gloves, forklifts, jacks, straps etc. 

5.      Stay hydrated.

Resource

Kilbourne, C. (2012). 6 strategies for reducing overexertion risks. Retrieved from https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2012/10/6-strategies-for-reducing-overexertion-risks/

1. Perpetual Guardian, a firm in New Zealand, conducted a trial of a four-day working week (Haar, 2018). They declared from their successful trial that employees are only productive for about three hours in the working day. Employees reported more engagement, better work-life balance, and less stress. Managers from the firm also reported no reduction in productivity. 

2. Japanese word “Karoshi”, translate to “death by overwork”. The Japanese government are urging companies to give employees the option to leave early on the last Friday of the month; known as “Premium Fridays”. The introduction of this was intended to improve the coutnry’s poor work-life balance and to encourage more consumer spending (McCurry, 2018). Only 11.2% of employees leave work early on this designated day; companies complained on being too busy at the end of the month to give their employees additional time off. 

I believe it is possible to have a shorter work week. But it depends on the work environment, the timing off the added time off, as well as, commit from both management and employees to prioritize and eliminate certain tasks. 

Resources

Haar, J. (2018). Working four-day weeks for five days’ pay? Research s hows it pays off. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/working-four-day-weeks-for-five-days-pay-research-shows-it-pays-off-100375

McCurry, G. (2018). Japan urges overworked employees to take Monday mornings off. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/03/japan-overworked-employees-monday-mornings-off

Resources:
Helliwell PS, Taylor WJ

Repetitive strain injury

Postgraduate Medical Journal 2004;80:438-443.

 https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/14029-preventing-slips-trips-and-falls

Effects of Distraction

In regards to safety, risk awareness and hazard recognition are vital to a successful safety management program.  Usually when hazards and risk are unrecognized human error occurs.  A distraction is a person, place, or thing that agitates the mind or emotions of a person.  A distraction is anything that can deter the mind of worker from his or her profession.  An example would be the misuse of a cellphone while working or the emotions an individual has for a family member.  This altered state is what causes a seasoned employee to make a major mistake.

Albert, A., Feng, J. & Namian, M. (2018, April). Effect of Distraction on Hazard Recognition and Safety Risk Perception. American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved from https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/%28ASCE%29CO.1943-7862.0001459

Complacency 

Complacency is a person’s security within his ability to perform, thus creating a state of mind that reduces the natural severity of risk or hazard.  Complacency is normally caused when an individual feel comfortable in their environment and the task the are conducting.  The risk and hazards around us become normal and we accept them as the norm.  Complacency can be defeated in many ways such as safety promotion, elaboration from first-line supervisors, consistency from coworkers to address unsafe actions.

Newfoundland & Labrador Construction Safety Association. (2018) Workplace Complacency. Retrieved from http://www.nlcsa.com/downloads/Workplace%20Complacency%20TBT%20Final%202018.pdf