On April 28, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated, a celebration that seeks this year to raise awareness in society of the importance of preventing occupational diseases in the workplace.
According to the International Labor Organization, 2.34 million work accidents that occur in a year are fatal, of which only 321,000 are due to genuine accidents. The rest is due to pathologies caused by work-related causes, a total of 5,550 per day. In view of these worrying figures, what conditions should we demand as employees to preserve our quality of working life?
Health in the office
Offices are often one of the causes of the loss of our quality of life. Poor ventilation conditions, inadequate environmental air conditioning and bad habits when sitting in front of a computer cause the appearance of discomfort and illnesses that can lead to sick leave.
Back problems and the common cold are the leading causes of work absenteeism. The cases of muscular lip atrophy, an alteration in the fatty tissue of the legs that appear as grooves in the skin of the thighs due to low environmental humidity, have also increased in recent years in Spain.
The eyes often suffer from problems due to the bad position of the monitors. According to experts in ophthalmology, it is recommended that the screen is not higher than the line of vision and always at a minimum distance of 50 centimeters. Stress and fatigue at work are also among the 10 most common illnesses.
Recommendations for occupational health
For office productivity to be adequate, it is essential that employees enjoy good environmental conditions and do not get carried away by fatigue and stress. According to the British Health Commission, it is advisable to take breaks of between 5 and 10 minutes every hour of uninterrupted work, which include stretching the legs and back.
It is essential to maintain good hygiene to postulate with adequate furniture to avoid muscle and eye discomfort. If you eat during work hours, do it in a healthy way, avoiding fats and sugary drinks that increase the chances of suffering from obesity, especially if you lead a sedentary life.
Finally, and to avoid annoying colds, it is important to maintain an adequate temperature and humidity in the office and avoid sudden changes, especially in the summer months due to air conditioning.
