Safety First
I’ve spoken previously about my background in Manufacturing. I’ve always worked in a commercial role within a factory, so I’m very familiar with the concept of ‘safety first.’
My workplace prides itself on keeping it’s employees safe and encourages individuals to report unsafe acts and log all near misses. This process ultimately can prevent an accident happening, by removing the potential risk as soon as it is identified. The pressure exists now for employers to keep everyone safe and everyone deserves to work within a safe environment. So what happens when we step out of work? Every time we do a health and safety training session at work, my colleague laughs about the day she was hanging off a step ladder painting her garden fence, blazing hot sun, paint brush in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. Ha! It never fails to make us giggle.
Of course, if she had fallen and injured herself, it wouldn’t have been quite so funny. The reason I’m retelling the story is because I believe it is probably typical for most of us to adopt a blase approach to our own safety. A handful of years ago we were removing tiles from a kitchen wall, the hubby was up the ladder and I was underneath waiting for him to pass me the tiles. Seemed like a good idea at the time, until one fell on my head. Thankfully other than a few tears, I was ok. However, I look back at that now and think “what on earth were we thinking?” Of course there was a risk I was going to get injured!
So what can we do to protect ourselves in our daily lives and prevent accident or injury? Being vigilant is key. Slips, trips and falls are one of the biggest risks that are identified in the workplace but think about this concept in your home life too. Don’t place items on your stairs, keep an eye out for the kids spilling drinks and neglecting to tell you about it. Our dog has an awful habit of drinking from his water bowl then manages to drip water all over the floor while it hangs from his jowls. Such a pretty sight! Ultimately though this creates a lot of potential slip hazards in our kitchen. We have to be vigilant.
The same goes for injuries caused in the gym. Here we are at the start of a year trying to be fit and healthy, trying to stick to our New Years Resolutions but maybe the added pressure makes us overlook our own personal safety. Driving to the gym, in a hurry to get there and get it over and done with. Does safety go out of our minds when we’re in a rush? Usually, yes. Is it tempting to reach over to glance at our mobile phones while we’re driving? Sometimes, yes. Not only are both speeding and using a mobile whilst driving illegal, they are such a stupid, dangerous thing to do. Take a moment to consider how completely unnecessary this unsafe act is.
When you’re at the gym, plan your workout. Warm up and remember to cool down. Don’t strain and don’t use equipment you do not know how to use. We’re lucky in that at our gym, there are plenty of fitness coaches on hand to help. So if you’re at your gym and in doubt, ask. It’s a cliche but it really is better to be safe than sorry. If you have a home gym, it’s even more important to stay safe as there’s generally nobody else there to spot you’re in trouble. Don’t take short cuts and remember safety first.
Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with Slater and Gordon. All words and opinions are my own.
