4 Tips to Promote Worker Safety at Home
Time at home should let us rest, relax, and come back to work rejuvenated. But the National Safety Council reports that, in 2023, 35.2 million injuries and 125,700 deaths occurred in the home — not on the job!
Keep these four tips in mind to help promote home safety:
Slips, Trips, and Falls
at Home
Many of the safety hazards that exist in the workplace can also occur in some form at home. Remember to:
- Clear clutter near doorways and high-traffic areas
- Minimize uneven floor surfaces
- Avoid trailing cables, wires, or extension cords, especially across walkways
- Provide good lighting, particularly for places in the home with changes in floor level like staircases or single steps up or down
- Use workplace ladder safety protocols
Emergency Preparedness and Medication Safety
Create a first aid kit with any necessary prescriptions and other medicines for your family. At the same time, be sure to properly dispose of any medicines that are past expiration or in need of replacing. Unused medications can pose a significant risk to family members. Talk to management about implementing a safe and anonymous drug disposal system in your workplace.
Alarms and Equipment Maintenance
Everyone should have a home evacuation plan in the event of an emergency. Do you have safety equipment like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and emergency escape ladders ready to use? Take the time to check that equipment is working properly including monthly fire extinguisher inspections.
Don’t forget non-emergency equipment! Look for areas in your home that have too many items plugged in where you should switch to a power strip to prevent electrical overload. This can be a good solution for light-load applicances like computers, but shouldn't take the place of additional outlets if they're needed for heavier duty equipment. Your workplace might even look into partnerships with suppliers to offer employee discounts on both emergency and non-emergency equipment that promotes safety.
Home Health
Encourage your employer to hold events like a Health Fair to encourage everyone to make healthy home choices like:
- Eating different kinds of healthy, filling, and nutritious foods
- Learning different recipes and being aware of foodborne illnesses and improper food handling
- Keeping homes free of smoke and tobacco
- Involving your whole family in keeping up with these standards
Spreading the safety message both at home and at work is a great way to keep everyone happier, healthier, and ready to stay on the job!
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