5 General Workplace Safety Tips to Share with Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. Healthcare workers and professionals are often exposed to several serious health and safety hazards that need to be addressed in a timely manner. In this blog, we’ll share insights and workplace safety tips for healthcare professionals to avoid infection and injury.

Although it is almost impossible to eliminate the risk of workplace-related or occupational injuries, you can reduce the risk and avoid them altogether by following these five tips.

Tip #1 Understanding the Risk of Common Health Hazards

As a healthcare professional, it is your duty to understand the risk of common health hazards at your workplace and work to avoid them. It is also a part of your duty to share this knowledge with other co-workers and supervisors to ensure their safety.

Tip #2 Take Necessary Precautions to Avoid Pathogens

Depending on your subspecialty, you may come in contact with blood-borne pathogens. These can cause detrimental effects to your health if you do not take the necessary precautions at your workplace which may include:

• Ensuring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), i.e., protective clothing, hand gloves, face masks, or goggles, etc.
• Cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments before each use
• Adhering to all safety protocols within your facility

Tip #3 Protect Your Back From Heavy Weight Lifting

Carrying or lifting heavy loads can cause injury to your lower back. Try to pick up heavy items by engaging your thigh muscles or by utilizing mechanical aids.

In the event a workplace injury does occur, consider using a remote injury care service that provides access to musculoskeletal experts via a smartphone, tablet or computer without leaving the job site.

Tip #4 Avoid Injuries from Sharp Instruments

The use of sharp instruments, such as needles and scalpels, may present a health hazard and increase the risk of contamination. You can follow these precautions to avoid injuries from sharp instruments:

Ensure proper disposal of syringes and needles by placing them in a safety box
Use disposable gloves while handling sharp surgical instruments
Clearly mark and organize sharp instrument storage containers

Tip #5 Take Help from a Co-Health Worker

Your co-healthcare workers are a great resource to help you avoid workplace injuries. If you have any questions concerning safety tips and practices, you can ask your co-workers. Remember, you are a team and you need to work together to ensure a safe environment for yourselves, and your patients.

Occupational health and safety are of supreme importance. Although it is almost impossible for healthcare professionals to completely escape from the risk of infection of certain diseases and workplace-related injuries, you can minimize the possibility of danger by following the above-stated tips.

About Huda Akram
Huda Akram is a senior content marketing specialist at Millenium Medical Billing in New Jersey. She uses her experience working for a medical billing company to write healthcare-related articles focused on benefiting and educating her readers.