Injuries set to soar in the workplace as government lifts lockdown restrictions
From July 4th, 2020, many hospitality businesses reopened their doors to customers. But now experts are warning of a wave of soft tissue injuries as people get back to the job after weeks of physical inactivity.
Experts believe that the lockdown increased the overall amount of exercise that people took in April and May 2020, compared to a year earlier. Bicycle and running equipment sales soared as furloughed employees looked for ways to pass the time and keep healthy.
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Data suggest, however, that a significant proportion of people remained indoors throughout the entire lockdown period, leading to concerns that a wave of injuries could come once workers return to the workplace. Being hunched over laptops and sitting on the sofa all day is, according to the experts, a recipe for soft tissue injury.
Keeping people safe is becoming more challenging
The latest findings are yet another concern for employers trying to figure out how to keep people safe in the COVID-19 era. Firms are focusing heavily on preventing the spread of the virus. However, the lockdown’s physiological effects could be a source of injury, too, a trend that could lead to an increase in absenteeism once people return to work.
Workplaces aren’t always safe places for workers. Already, many must use height safety systems, manual handling training videos, and standing desks to keep workers healthy. Returning to company premises once the government lifts restrictions may lead to a surge in injuries as people get used to safety protocols once more.
The government is taking matters seriously and looking for ways to avoid a spike in health service utilisation. Currently, ministers are considering the merits of implementing one-way systems in workshops, retail premises, and corridors to prevent people from passing close to each other. They’re also considering launching e-learning campaigns designed to educate people on the importance of social distancing, even while at work.
Spike in injuries may follow mass return to work
Many people on furlough will be returning to work for a long time after this hiatus. Health experts are concerned that their exuberance will lead to excess injuries for the time of year. People will be keen to get back in business, fire up the machines, and start earning money again. The likelihood that workers will harm themselves, therefore, will likely go up.
Employers have to do more than mere gestures to keep people safe. The new goal will be to preempt injury by training people as they reenter the workplace. We are likely to see a dramatic rise in the number of precautionary educational sessions to minimise litigation risk.
Moves like these chime with the current trend towards increasing wellbeing in the workplace. Before the crisis, employers focused heavily on helping their colleagues avoid burnout and stay physically healthy. These new interventions will take that to the next level, ensuring that places of work are safe from modern threats.
Employers need to offer “barrier gestures” to keep themselves safe from liability. Offering hand sanitiser on tap for both staff and their colleagues, therefore, can help tremendously.
