Eight Tips to help workers go home healthy in 2018

It's possible that greater workloads and longer hours during busy seasons increase the risks workers get exposed to.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most commonly reported causes of occupational ill health in the UK, and 11m working days are lost each year due to work-related stress.

With up to 159,000 new cases of workers suffering from MSDs each year, and over half a million of workers suffering from work-related stress in 2016 and 2017, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has collated its top tips, aimed at those industries most affected by busy periods, to ensure workers can go home healthy in 2018.

1.  Listen to your staff and encourage them to speak up if they feel like they're beginning to struggle, or feeling under pressure to deliver, as this could be the early warning signs of work-related stress.

2.  To avoid the need for heavy-lifting work activities, promote the use of lifting aids and trolleys to help reduce the risk of injury when moving goods or delivering parcels.  It's important to note that parcels of awkward sizes and shapes present greater risks.

3.  Engage your workforce during busy periods.  Promoting the right culture can help achieve healthier and safer working.

4.  Repetitive tasks can lead to neck, back and arm strain - rotate jobs between staff to avoid fatigue and injury.

5.  Make sure your workers get the opportunity to rest and de-stress during busy periods.

6.  Don't reinvent the wheel - use tried and tested ways to minimise pressure.

7.  Encourage workers to do anti-fatigue stretches - these can reduce the chance of injury when makes lots of deliveries.

8.  Don't use busy periods as an excuse to stop tackling work-related hazards including stress.  Injuries and ill health are still a risk.