4 Tips for Workplace Safety from Your Denver Workers Compensation Attorney
When it comes to safety in the workplace, it is best to follow direction and avoid danger. If an accident occurs, your local Denver workers compensation attorney can help. But to try to avoid getting hurt on the job and keeping your employer’s “day since last injury” count low, follow some of these methods to avoid injury while on the job.
Assess all Risks: Whether you work in a restaurant or on a construction site, each location has different risks associated with it. One of the best ways to stay safe is to work with your manager and co-workers to understand all possibilities of what can go wrong and make sure there are methods and policies put into place to avoid injury.
Clean Floors: Trips and falls are one of the top ways employees are injured on the job. This is why it is crucial to always make sure any type of spill is wiped up immediately and floors are kept clean. This ensures there is no debris lying around that can be stepped on or tripped over. If you work in an environment that often has wet floors, invest in nonskid shoes. These are especially important for restaurants. You can also put anti-fatigue mats around an area that can be stood on for ease on back and joints, and has a nonskid surface too that is hard to slip while standing on.
Lift Properly: Having poor lifting techniques can actually do quite a bit of damage on your back. This is why it is important to lift properly. In the Mayo Clinic’s “Proper Lifting Techniques” slideshow, they explain when lifting boxes or items, start in a safe position by having both needs on the grown and your arms straight as you prepare to lift an object. Then, when standing, stand one leg at a time and maintain a natural curve in your lower back. Use your legs to stand up. They also say you can squat instead of standing up and overall just make sure to have your legs to the work for you when lifting to avoid back injuries. Also, it is important not to twist when lifting and keep your core muscles tight. Failing to lift properly can result in a strain or injury on your lower back.
Avoid Fire Hazards: Having quality fire extinguishers readily available is a quick way to put a stop to a potentially dangerous situation. Also, when putting them out, make sure employees understand how to use them and if you work in a restaurant or place where there may be grease fires, they know how to put them out properly. Also, make sure employees are not abusing electrical outlets by overloading them.
If you do find yourself a victim of a workplace injury, the premier go-to law office of Mark A. Simon will help you work through your case. Our office will help you get the benefits you deserve from payment of medical care and lost wages to even mileage traveled to get the care you need. Learn how to avoid denial of workers’ compensation claims with these tips from your Denver worker’s compensation attorney and give us a call today to get started.