5 TIPS FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK

This week is Health and Safety Week. What does this look like? Yes, inspections get done. There's always somebody that's responsible for health and safety where you work. If you are an entrepreneur, it is on top of your list. Everything is always absolutely safe, right? Everybody's happy to implement all the health and safety measures, because they have lots of time. People are not busy at all...

When we have meetings for health and safety, we get so much done because it's very clear what we have to do. We know exactly what to look for and the legislation around it. We're very good at health and safety, and we know everything. Obviously, the people on the committee have been there for a long time. They don't change every year. No. What we start, we have time to finish, and everybody gets along really well. We check boxes all the time. Everything that's on the list gets done immediately. We also have all the time that's allocated, because the legislation says that we need to provide time for the Health and Safety committee to do all the extra tasks. Everybody has the budget and the resources to do so, right?

Moreover, the recommendations that are made are accepted all the time, because health and safety is the heart of the business, and we really feel like we make a difference. Right? And while we're at it, every single time you go to your health and safety committee meeting, you find $275 on the floor on your way to the meeting! Yeah, that's exactly how it is...

...Not quite. Things are going fast, and we're constantly trying to find time for health and safety when you are already working double for half the results that you had before. Production is king. What really matters in businesses is that production moves forward, not necessarily health and safety. We don't really have time to have these meetings or to spend time on this. Every time you make a recommendation, there's no budget for it. We constantly have to reinvent the wheel to try to figure out how to make that work. The markets are changing everywhere. We're facing a small recession, so no, health and safety is not always our priority, especially that now we're wondering if we're all going to be replaced by AI. Well, here are five tips.

#1. Yes, It Does Apply to You

The reason why we're talking about health and safety today is because it applies to everybody. I believe that this week is the time for everybody to realize this. Did you know the number one cost for health and safety is ergonomics? Wrists, elbows, backs, necks... Those are the main costs of health and safety.

And no, you shouldn't think: "Oh, well, I'm young. It doesn't matter if my chair is not adjusted properly, or, well, I'm old now and my back is already sore, so what's the point?" There's always a point! Or: "Oh, well, I've been exposed to asbestos and silica for years. So, what's the matter now?" No, wear your mask all the time!

#2. Turn Off the Distractions

Let's look into executive brain functions. One of them is cognitive inhibition. This means we can be distracted very easily. Turn off the distractions and turn off the possible dangers. If you are in an area of the plant that is not super safe, turn off your phone. There's no point in driving a forklift looking at your phone or driving to clients while being on your phone.

Turn off the noise as well. Make sure that you work in quiet areas, that it's not too noisy. If you constantly have earbuds in because your meetings are all online, make sure the volume is well adapted. Wearing earbuds for a whole day, being in meetings all the time could possibly affect your ears.

#3. Always Be On the Lookout

Very often, we think that we can multitask, but you have to always be vigilant. Not just once a month when it's inspection time! And don't go and say: "Well, the forklift driver will see me even if I walk outside of the yellow line." Remember that common sense is not so common. People don't always have common sense.

The biggest joke, I think, in health and safety is all these guys and girls that are wearing these 100-pound belts with all their equipment, but yet their harness is just dragging behind them, because they don't take the time to hook it! They're wearing all the safety gear, but they're not hooking it. That's not common sense. Be very careful and always ask yourself: "What am I doing right now? Is this safe? Is it good for my health?"

#4. Learn & Stay Informed

Keep on learning. We talked a little bit about budget earlier. Well, get the information that you need. You need to make informed recommendations based on the legislation, and the legislation is there. Maybe you don't have a choice. If you're an entrepreneur working from home, make sure that you have a proper set up, that your back is straight, that you have a good chair, that you have a workspace that is healthy for you. A lot of people started working from home during the pandemic with makeshift offices. Well, it's been four years, so the makeshift stuff has to go. We need to get settled properly.

By the way, if you want to be able to make better informed recommendations, Tanya Steele is the reference in Canada for health and safety. She has online courses, she does trainings. She can come and train your team, train your staff. She is the person that can help you with your health and safety in the workplace.

#5. Be Part of the Solution

Health and safety is about making sure that everybody else goes home safely to their family at the end of the day. Sometimes, it's about mental health as well. If you see that someone in your team has too much on their plate, that's also part of health and safety. If you are the person who raises a flag and says: "Hey, I don't think this is safe", you have to do it from the bottom of your heart. If somebody raises something, it comes from love, it comes from a great place.

Hopefully you will pay extra attention this week, maybe make a few tweaks in your workplace and make sure that everybody stays healthy and safe.