The Importance of Workplace Safety

Your quick safety guide to increased productivity and satisfaction of a job well done.

Develop a safety-focused mindset.

Creating a simple yet solid safety program for your home improvement tasks will help you enjoy the project more and help contribute to the overall sense of satisfaction of a job well done. If you have anyone helping you with a project, ensure they're fully informed about being safe before you start.

Devoting your attention to finding and fixing any hazards will help ensure no one gets injured or sick. Practice safe behaviors and make safety a natural part of your conversation with those assisting you while you're on the job.

Most importantly, adopting workplace safety procedures for your home projects and on the job is critical because human loss is unacceptable. A loss of life or serious injury will impact the whole family. 

Adopt these four safety attitudes and limit workplace hazards at home and on the worksite.

Safety Attitude #1: We always start by identifying workplace hazards.

A hazard is a source of possible physical injury or even death to an individual or one that can cause damage to their health. Rather than diving into the work immediately, stand back and assess the issues that can disrupt your workflow and be a potential hazard. 

It's easy to be so familiar with what you do that you skip this. Please don't. The five minutes you take to access the environment may save a life—perhaps even yours.

Identify hazards during the planning phase:

• Check your design plans for any areas of potential harm.
• Be familiar with the manuals for any equipment that will be used, especially ones you've never used before.
• Make sure the people you work with are familiar with the environment and equipment.
• Watch for and identify hazards while the work is being done:
• Always perform a review of the surroundings before the work starts for the shift.
• Always watch for changes, abnormal situations, and sudden emissions.

Hazard checkpoints to watch:

• Routine activities performed throughout the project or shift.
• Non-routine activities, such as maintenance, repair, or cleaning.
• Talk to others on the project to help spot hazards.
• Access the day's limitations that could affect responding to emergency situations (power outage, poor cell phone coverage, weather).

Wearing the proper safety footwear will help protect you and your project assistants from biological, chemical, ergonomic, slippage, crushing, punctures, and numerous other hazards. Choose a shoe that is as comfortable as well as protective to keep you feeling your best while on the job. 

Safety Attitude #2: Being safety-minded helps reduce workplace stress.

Whether working in a construction job, managing a small crew, or performing a home improvement project, devoting your attention to workplace health and safety will help you have a happier work experience. 

Life is not simple. It's hectic, it's stressful, and it wears us down. We take this to our job and project environment. Take care of yourself and encourage those around you to do the same.

Encourage a stress-free work environment by taking regular breaks to stretch (or relax) your muscles and take your mind elsewhere for a few moments. Drink plenty of water and keep healthy, energizing snacks at the ready. 

Indestructible Compression Crew Socks

Take care of your feet and legs on the job with socks designed to help maintain proper airflow and provide the support that workboots don't. Full elastic arch support and 3D ventilation help keep your feet fresh and comfortable through the long work shift. 

Safety Attitude #3: Using mechanical assistance tools helps you work better.

Instead of carrying or lifting heavy objects on your own, take advantage of today's innovations to avoid back injuries or stress. A strained or displaced muscle can lay you up for a long time. While you may get your work pay covered by workman's comp, you still risk missing out on important family events. 

It pays to grab a roller, lifter, crank, dolly, or any of the other devices available for workplace safety today. If you're planning a home improvement project, buy or rent tools that make your tasks easier.

VigoLEG Air Massager

After a strenuous day at work, refresh and energize your legs with the air massager. Lactic acid builds up from repetitive movement, adding soreness and pain to your muscles. Let this massage take the stress away for a better night's sleep.

Safety Attitude #4: What you wear on the job helps keep you safe.

Industry worksites enforce dress codes relevant to the workplace environment. If you're assembling a team for home improvement or performing a handyman job, you should do the same.

• Loose-fitting clothes can get caught in machinery or snag and cause an accident.
• Likewise, long hair should be secured back where it cannot reach machinery or other hazards.
• Long pants with functional pockets make the job easier.
• No jewelry should be worn during construction-style work.  
• Hard hats may be required to keep people safe in areas with falling hazards.
• Wear eye or face protection while running machinery.
• Keep other protective gear, such as gloves, ready at all times.

Wearing the proper footwear is critical to ensuring workplace safety. In every environment, from construction to home improvement projects, a good safety shoe will help you perform the task better and enjoy the experience more.

Properly constructed safety shoes not only protect your feet from the workplace hazards you do see but also from the ones you don't. 

• Choose boots and shoes with insoles that give you the proper arch support and breathability for supreme comfort.
• Choose footwear designed with a roomy, comfortable toe box that helps you stay steady on your feet.
• Flexible, lightweight safety shoes will help you navigate uneven surfaces and ladders more naturally. 

Protect your feet with the best that science and the industry have to offer. Stay more balanced and protected from workplace and environmental hazards with ultra-durable materials. Take good care of your feet during your work and experience fewer aches and pains at the end of the shift.