What’s at Stake?

Did you know your mental, physical, and emotional fitness is part of a safe work environment? If you are fit and healthy, you are likely to have more energy and stamina.

This can mean you are able to stay alert throughout your shift. Your overall health can also reduce the possibility muscle strains, back problems and other injuries.

What’s the Danger?

When you’re not physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy your work and your safety suffer.

Example

• Stress can contribute directly to injuries. Worrying about personal problems instead of concentrating on the task can cause serious accidents.
• Muscle tension caused by stress can contribute directly to problems such as back injuries

How to Protect Yourself

Improve Physical Health

• Get regular exercise to strengthen your heart and lungs. A brisk walk for a half-hour each day or two is highly recommended. Activities such as running, swimming, dancing and aerobics are other ways to get your heartbeat up and improve heart and lung function.
• Strengthen your muscles. A program of exercises at home, or a weight-training program at a gym are two ways to accomplish this. Be sure to include routines to strengthen the muscles in your abdomen and back to help prevent back injuries.
• Increase your flexibility. Include stretches in your exercise routines to help your muscles and joints stay limber.
• Quit smoking. This one lifestyle change will pay you big bonuses in health and fitness. Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.
• Get regular medical and dental checkups. Follow the advice of health professionals.

Improve Mental and Emotional Health

• Get enough sleep. The body needs sleep to repair the body and refresh the mind. Studies show North Americans are chronically short of sleep. Fatigue has been a factor in many serious accidents – vehicle collisions, train wrecks, plane crashes, chemical spills and even nuclear disasters.
• Learn to manage stress before it causes emotional or physical problems. If you have a problem, find a trusted person with whom you can talk it out. Some situations need to be tackled head on; others must be simply accepted as having no solution.
• Learn some deliberate relaxation techniques to help you deal with stress. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor or do some research on your own to find techniques that work for you.
• A well-balanced diet can improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. It can increase your energy level, help you stay alert, reduce your body weight, and prevent illness and diseases

Final Word

When you pay attention to your physical, mental, and emotional health you improve your chances of working safely. This helps reduce your chances of being in an accident or being injured. Follow these tips to stay strong and healthy