Creating a Healthy Workplace

This week, the American Association of Public Health is sponsoring National Public Health Week. You can find much of the information blogged about this week at: http://www.nphw.org/tools-and-tips/themes/empowering-a-healthy-community.

Did you know?
• In 2011, more than 4,600 workers died in the United States due to an injury on the job;
• While fatal work injuries declined for white workers in 2011, such injuries rose among Hispanic workers by 3 percent. Fatal work injuries also rose among workers ages 20 to 24 by 18 percent;
• In 2009, about 572,000 violent crimes, such as rape, robbery and assault, happened against people ages 16 and older while they were at work. Also in 2009, more than 500 people were victims of homicide while at work;
• In 2011, musculoskeletal disorders made up 33 percent of all work-related injury and illness cases;
• The cost of obesity among full-time employees tops $73 billion, which includes the total value of lost productivity and medical costs;
• Research finds that medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar invested in workplace wellness programs.

What Can I Do?
• Understand and follow all workplace safety regulations and best practices. Don’t stop at doing the minimum — go beyond Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards;
• Educate employees about workplace safety regulations and train employees to recognize unsafe or unhealthy settings. Depending on your workforce, make sure safety training is available in multiple languages;
• Create a work environment in which workers feel comfortable reporting unsafe work conditions or workplace abuse;
• Provide the required equipment to keep workers safe, such as respiratory gear and hard hats;
• Hold your subcontractors accountable for implementing safety standards and trainings;
• Put in place mechanisms for recognizing and addressing the potential for workplace violence;
• Even our homes can be workplaces. If you employ domestic workers, such as health care aides, nannies or house cleaners, learn what it means to be a responsible employer;
• Practice fire safety drills and prepare your workplace for an unexpected emergency or disaster;
• Take simple steps to create workplace wellness, such as posting hand-washing reminders, catering meetings with healthy foods or organizing workplace walking groups. Reach out to your local public health department — they can help. Also, if you provide employer-based health insurance, consider certain financial incentives that can improve health, such as incentivizing employees to quit using tobacco.

For local health metrics in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please go to: www.healthyntexas.org.