Workplace Safety During the Holiday Season
With the nights beginning to get darker, and summer now just a distant memory, we’re starting to head into one of the busiest times of the year for many industries. Across the manufacturing and warehousing sectors, the major shopping weekend comprising of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is just around the corner. The catering industry really beginning to ramp up as Christmas and the festive season rapidly approaches.
The Busiest Time of Year
Last year, it was reported that 1 in 6 people in the UK planned to make purchases on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with the average shopper spending a whopping £234 over the weekend. Despite many media sources stating that British brands were expected to step back from the American tradition, orders were coming in thick and fast. And at this time of year, order fulfilment and client satisfaction is hugely important.
While the holiday season is supposed to be enjoyable and fun, it’s actually a very tense period for many people. The holidays have a tendency of creeping up, resulting in late and last minute orders. Meeting customer expectations at this time of year, however, is essential to building and maintaining good relationships over the upcoming 12 months.
The Rise of Occupational Accidents
Enhesa, the global health and safety compliance organisation, reports that there is a notable ‘increase in the number of injuries during this period’. It may be tempting to:
- Cut corners to save time
- Rush around the premises
- Work longer hours, resulting in fatigue
- Take your eye off the ball as you wind down
- Forget to wear necessary PPE or workwear
- Leave items in areas of trip risk
- Overlook minor aspects of health and safety
However, the holiday season isn’t a time to focus less on workplace health and safety… it actually means that you may need to pay more attention to remain safe in a busy, hectic environment. And it’s not just your own practices and processes that you need to take into consideration; it’s vital to be alert in order to recognise any health and safety failures of others in a bid to keep yourself and your employees/co-workers safe. It has been reported that an Amazon warehouse worker will walk around 11 miles per shift, picking a product every 30 seconds for example. When workers are covering such large numbers of miles in warehouses, equipment such as hi-vis workwear becomes essential.
Safety First This Christmas
This holiday season, we can all make a difference. While the workplace may be busier, and you may find you have less time to complete your tasks, health and safety should always be prioritised. Don’t forget to move the box out of the way. Don’t leave your hard hat at home. Wear your high-vis vest. Don’t stay quiet when you see someone not adhering to the rules. This is the best way to ensure we’re happy and healthy, ready for the celebrations.
