Overlooked Safety Hazards and How to Handle Them
There are some times when we clearly know what risks we face. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have the right safety equipment before doing construction work and to make sure you’re driving safely in Tampa, Florida. However, there are some times when we neglect safety without even realizing it.
Below are some examples of overlooked safety hazards and information on how to minimize the risks they pose. Hopefully, this will help you spot dangers in your own life and tell you how to completely get rid of or at least reduce the effects they may have on you.
Ergonomics
You may have heard the term ergonomics thrown around but likely haven’t heard a concrete definition as to what it actually is. Ergonomics is the study of people in their working environment and it’s used to design workspaces to be as efficient and safe as possible.
When implemented correctly, you’ll experience a much healthier work environment that allows you to get your stuff done without making you feel bad physically. When implemented incorrectly or ignored, you may lose focus more often, be in pain by the end of the day, and ultimately be unhappy.
There is a lot to consider when designing your workspace to be more ergonomic, but it all can be roughly boiled down to three main points: focus, distraction, and comfort. Obviously, you want to focus and cut out as many distractions as possible, but this can be difficult.
Take windows, for example. Natural light is always pleasant and refreshing, but how close you are to it can affect how you work. Some people prefer to have their desks facing this light so they may enjoy the beautiful views it typically comes with. For others, this same view is distracting.
For these people, keeping the window next to or behind them may be a better option. Once this is combined with comfort, you’ll be truly unstoppable with your work.
Noise
You need to wear hearing protection whenever dealing with extremely loud sounds, but you already knew that. You also already know that listening to music at high volumes through headphones and earbuds is bad, too, but you might still do it. Don’t; you’re damaging your hearing. Avoid extremely loud sound when you can, and wear hearing protection and take frequent breaks from the noise when you can’t.
When you find yourself in a loud environment, pay attention to your emotions. We all have limits to how much sound we can handle, but it’s more obvious to some than others. If you start to find yourself overwhelmed, in an anxious or panicked state, or unusually uncomfortable otherwise, take a break from the situation.
Take deep breaths, and then start bracing yourself to deal with the noise again. While this experience may be a bit too much for you, it’s good to know for the future.
Clutter
You’d be surprised by how clutter negatively affects you. It decreases your focus, increases your stress, or even leads to you having little impulse control. However, it’s important to distinguish clutter from everything else in your home.
Decorations, sentimental items, and more all have their distinct purpose, and while you can go overboard with them, they’re still very different from clutter. Clutter is a collection of items whose only purpose is to take up space.
While identifying clutter can be tricky sometimes, it’s vital to your mental health. You need to clear clutter from two different spaces to feel the full effects of a decluttering: your home and your workspace. Of the two, it’s easier to clear the workspace. Supplies that aren’t used very often, an overabundance of knick-knacks and other little personal touches and more can all be considered clutter.
Essentially, back up from your space and look at it from a fresh perspective or get someone else to do that for you if you’re not confident that you can be objective in this task. If the escape feels overwhelming, it’s time to clear some stuff away.
A similar stance can be taken at home, but remember to open up all drawers and cabinets to be as thorough as possible. Just because you can’t always see it doesn’t mean it has no effect on you, after all.
Stress
While more and more people are becoming aware of how bad stress actually is, not as many are actually doing something about it. This could be for many reasons, but even when you’re stuck in a stressful situation that you won’t be able to escape from for a while, there are easy ways to reduce your stress.
Exercise, mindfulness exercises, setting aside times for your hobbies, and talking to friends and family about your situation are just a few things you can do to relieve your stress. When it gets to be too much to bear, take some time to figure out why.
Is it because you can’t control it in some way? Do you really hate the chore or job that much? Are you setting your expectations for yourself too high? No matter the answer, there is a way to handle it, but you can only do that when the cause is clear and understood.
Insects
While we all try to avoid insect bites and stings when we can, there is oftentimes no way to escape them. Mosquitos, for example, are notorious for how unavoidable they can be. This is why it’s vital to know insect bite and sting first aid so you can handle these injuries before they get too bad. Mild stings and bites are easy to take care of.
First, move somewhere the bugs can’t get to you anymore. Once there, remove any stingers and wash the area with warm water and soap. If the area is painful, apply a cold compress for a few minutes. If it’s itchy, apply an anti-itch cream or a lotion that is more specific to the bug that you think caused it.
From here, avoid messing with it while your body naturally heals itself. If the bite or sting starts to swell, becomes incredibly painful, or shows other signs of an extreme reaction, get to the hospital as quickly as you can.
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