Did you warn your employees that the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 was a workplace hazard?
Workplace hazards are anything that may cause harm or adverse health effects to a person or property. If your work setting is outdoors or has windows, then you probably should have warned your workers not to look directly at the sun on the day of the eclipse.
Take a few moments to consider this long list of items that can put employees at risk while at work. Workplace hazards include chemicals, lifting, pushing, pulling, lighting, sitting, standing, slips, trips, falls, shift work, musculoskeletal disorders due to poor body position or movements, biological items (insects, animals, plants), pandemics like the flu, temperature, air quality, noise, radiation, stress, violence, bullying, driving, electricity, forklifts and other large machinery, ladders, material handling, raised platforms, tools, confined spaces, indoor air quality, lasers, scents, temperature, ventilation, weather, and working alone.
There are many, many dangerous items in workplaces. Employers must control workplace risks and do all that they can to teach employees to work safely with these hazards.
To learn more about the hazards listed above, go to CCOHS hazards web page.
