In the workplace, many employees will need to engage in various repetitive tasks and movements to get work done. Whether you’re typing away for hours at the office, lifting crates, or using drilling machinery, there’s still a chance that you might get injured if you’re not careful.
Although injuries and diseases aren’t as common in “safe” offices, many work-related injuries happen in industries that involve a lot of heavy-duty machinery and physical labor. This is especially true for the construction industry and manufacturing facilities where employees will need to interact with moving machinery and materials in the span of 8 – 10 hours.
However, most businesses, small enterprises, won’t necessarily have the resources to spare for healthcare facilities. Although some companies are known for setting aside a few of their resources on first aid kits, medication, and emergency equipment, there’s still a good chance that workplace injuries can happen.
So should businesses invest in their own on-site clinic for their workers? What’s, are some of the advantages of having your own on-site work clinic? Here’s what you’ll need to know.
Does It Promote Safety?
Well, the short answer to this question is: yes, having an on-site and operational clinic can promote safety in the workplace. Not only does this promote safety, but this can mitigate the likelihood of major injuries in the facility, which can often lead to lawsuits.
Most experts would also say that onsite healthcare can help educate and correct certain types of movement that workers might get. Some businesses will employ chiropractors since they can mitigate ergonomic hazards among workers who have repetitive tasks and roles. It’s also important to note that most workers that are lifting heavy crates will also lead to workplace injuries. Recent studies have shown that having an expert that’s well-versed in injuries can reduce workplace-related injuries by around 63% after it has become operational.
But other than a healthcare professional manning your clinic, what are some other aspects that you’ll need to consider? Here’s what you’ll need to know.
Proper Medication
Medication should be one of the most important aspects of an on-site clinic. Physical labor and mental labor can be tiring, which can cause stress to the individual, resulting in a compromised immune system. One can’t be too careful in getting sick, especially around other individuals, since this can lead to more infections. That said, clinics should have a plethora of medicine that are medically-reviewed and effective against almost all types of ailments.
But other than painkillers and other types of medication that can expedite the healing process, clinics should also give out supplements that help with the healing process and increase the overall performance of workers that do physical labor. Most would suggest having at least a supply of OTC iron supplements in on-site clinics since this is an essential part of healing wounds and injuries. Not only does this expedite the healing process, but this is also integral in core body functions.
Personal Protective Equipment
In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many businesses to make drastic changes in their safety and health protocols. While many businesses are migrating towards digital platforms and allowing many of their employees to work from home, some industries, such as manufacturing industries, will need their workers to clock in and process raw materials. Personal protective equipment, especially against virulent agents and materials, can provide long-term protection to employees and workers.
Recent studies have shown that most indoor offices and workplaces have a higher risk of transmitting COVID-19, especially when air is only being recirculated from the ventilation system. This can often lead to workers being infected if safety measures aren’t being put in place. If this is the case, then healthcare workers that are manning these clinics and the workers in facilities will need to wear personal protective equipment.
Although there are PPEs that are specifically designed for pathogens, there are also PPEs that are also designed for particular hazards. Most construction workers will need to wear PPEs that cushion head trauma and physical injuries. Those working in areas with fire hazards will usually use personal protective equipment catered to fire hazards.
An on-site clinic can have a myriad of advantages to your business while also ensuring that all of your employees will be up-to-speed. Cultivating a culture of safety and health is a great way of keeping morale up in the workplace while also maximizing productivity.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, strict safety and health protocols should be imposed. This makes an on-site clinic an even more important part of any facility and organization. The last thing that employers want is knowing that there’s a contagious disease that’s going around in the workplace.