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Workplace Hygiene: 3 Ways The Workplace Influences Our Health

Workplace Hygiene: 3 Ways The Workplace Influences Our Health

<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">At home&comma; we’re in charge of cleanliness and hygiene&period; We decide how often to clean the kitchen and bathroom and what hygiene rules to put in place&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">In the workplace&comma; however&comma; much of this is out of our hands&period; We’re reliant on employers and managers to ensure our health and safety&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Here are three ways in which the workplace influences our health and what employers can do to ensure workplace hygiene&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;"><b>1&period; Mental Health<&sol;b><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Our workplace has a huge impact on our mental health&period; Scientific studies have shown that the cleaner and less cluttered our space&comma; the better we feel&period; So if your desk is overflowing with papers and your computer is covered in dust&comma; it’s unlikely to promote positive feelings&period; Equally&comma; we thrive in environments with lots of natural light and maybe a few pot plants too&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">This all means that offices should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly&period; Clean windows let in more natural light&period; Clean desk spaces allow us to feel organised and motivated&period; Well-cared for plants help us to feel energised&period; And feeling a sense of pride in our workspace and motivation for the work we do is all that contributes to us feeling mentally strong and healthy&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;"><b>2&period; Illness<&sol;b><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Any indoor space where lots of people gather has the potential to spread illness&period; Colleagues who have a virus may sneeze and cough without covering their mouth&period; Or <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;incrediblemag&period;com&sol;why-using-hand-sanitizer-isnt-always-good&period;htm">fail to wash their hands properly<&sol;a> after going to the bathroom&period; This means that germs are spread throughout the office&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Just think of all the things we touch in the workplace day after day – our computer keyboard and mouse&comma; door handles&comma; elevator buttons&comma; the kettle in the office kitchen – the list is endless&period; Viruses and bacteria can live on surfaces for a significant period of time&comma; allowing them to be spread around the office and to other colleagues&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Only regular cleaning and good personal hygiene can keep these bugs under wraps&period; When an office is properly cleaned&comma; we don’t find ourselves constantly battling with illness&period; We take fewer days off sick and are able to work with improved productivity&comma; which is a good thing both for us and our employers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;"><b>3&period; Accidents<&sol;b><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Another way in which workplace hygiene affects our health can be attributed to dirty and slippery floors&period; It can be very easy to slip and fall on a floor that isn’t properly cared for&period; Maybe it’s a rainy day and floors have become wet&period; Or maybe there’s been a spillage in the kitchen that hasn’t been properly cleaned up&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Slipping on a dirty floor can lead to pulled muscles and&comma; in some cases&comma; broken bones&period; Both injuries require considerable recovery time&period; As a result&comma; it’s really important that someone is on hand throughout the day to address workplace health and safety issues&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h4 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;"><b>What Employers Can Do<&sol;b><&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Poor workplace hygiene can have a really detrimental effect on our health&period; That’s why companies should always employ a reliable team of cleaners&comma; respond quickly to any health and safety concerns and encourage good personal hygiene amongst employees&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">They should also consider their sickness policy – if they frown heavily upon anyone taking a day off sick&comma; more sick people will drag themselves into the office&comma; spreading their germs and increasing the health risk to other employees&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">And&comma; it goes without saying&comma; employers need to facilitate good hygiene in the office&period; That means having enough soap by bathroom sinks&comma; regularly changing the towels that people dry their hands on&comma; maintaining a good supply of clean kitchen cloths and looking elsewhere for office space when the current accommodation just won’t come up to scratch&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">To keep workplace hygiene high we don&&num;8217&semi;t need to buy expensive equipment or lay down restrictions or rules&period; All that is need is a little bit of awareness and good will&period; That&&num;8217&semi;s all what&&num;8217&semi;s needed to stay healthy in a workplace&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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