Everything You Need to Know to Stay Safe On the Job

You spend a great deal of your waking life at work, which makes it so important to stay healthy there. Although most people know the basics of workplace health and safety - and we'll teach you lots of those tips through your health care education at Concorde - accidents and illness still occur every single year.

THE STATE OF THE UNION

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were roughly 3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2013, which is slightly fewer than in 2012. Fatal occupational injuries fell from 4,628 in 2012 to 4,405 in 2013, and are down 25 percent in the last decade. The good news is that accidents and injuries in the workplace are declining; the bad news is that they still happen.

AVOIDING ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS

Avoiding illness in the workplace is easier said than done, but some steps that help include washing your hands frequently, sanitizing your desk area, staying home when you're sick (because your immune system is weak and you may contract other illnesses), eating and sleeping well, and avoiding sick colleagues.

There is also no guarantee you can avoid injury, but your best chance is to use all equipment only for the purposes for which it is specified, avoid equipment you don't know how to use, get enough sleep and avoid substances while at work.

THE IMPORTANCE OF OSHA COMPLIANCE

If you do not follow the rules of your workplace and comply with OSHA's regulations, you have a much greater chance of being hurt. Some people assume that since an employer, not an employee, is liable for any safety infraction or injury, they don't have to follow the rules. Those regulations, however, are there for your safety, and unfortunately, being covered in the case of an accident or injury cannot prevent you from the pain, hassle and potential loss of income that may follow.

According to OSHA, you have the right to know what these standards are so you can be sure you're following them. If your employer does not automatically hand out lists of rules or regulations, you may ask for them.

WHEN YOU NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY

If you've suffered a workplace injury, you may benefit from physical therapy. While the form of it ranges widely depending on the field you're in, physical therapy generally involves doing exercises to improve range of motion, heal tissue and limit pain. A few signs you need physical therapy include:

• Persistent pain in the injured area
• Limited range of motion
• Pain relievers don't work
• You see visible changes in the tissue (swelling, bruising, discoloration, odd angles, lumps, etc.)

We offer Physical Therapist Assistant training at Concorde, allowing you to prepare for a new career in as little as 20 months. You'll help patients who've suffered from a traumatic injury and other smaller aggravations that can result from typing, lifting or other repetitive motions.

Staying safe on the job is neither totally intuitive nor super-difficult. Striking a happy medium between cautious and confident is the best way to remain happy and stress-free at work. Keep the above information in mind, and you'll do just fine.

Our workplaces can trip even the best of us up. Contact us today to learn how you can train to become a Physical Therapist Assistant at Concorde.