It’s no surprise that the holiday season can be the busiest time of year for retail stores, dropship companies, warehouses, and other organizations that contribute to distribution and product sales.   As a Therapist you can help Employers finish the year strong by maintaining workplace safety at all times. Even though things may be busier than ever, you can’t let your guard down when it comes to the safety of the Employees you are overseeing with your services.

If you are consulting as a Therapist, not only can you monitor the safety in the workplace, but it is also important to offer suggestions to the Employer with ways to educate and protect Employees. Here are four important tips you can follow and teach during this busy holiday season:

1. Stay Mindful: Encourage Employees to be mindful of all tasks and projects. Each person should have a sufficient amount of time to meet expectations so they don’t feel the need to rush. Cutting corners to complete a project often increases the likelihood of injury, especially when working with sharp devices, machinery, heavy objects, or hazardous materials.
2. Prevent Illness: The risk of illness goes up this time of year, which means every person could be facing a head cold or flu that is shared with the group. This is not only distracting the Employee but also often weakens them physically. Encourage all Employees to wash their hands regularly. Illness prevention is key to minimize the number of injuries and sick days that are taken this month.
3. Manage Stress: Both physical and mental stress needs to be managed to avoid injury. Even when things are busy, Employees should take scheduled breaks and should be offered the option to rest if they are physical or mentally taxed. Therapy services can be beneficial for monitoring an Employees strength and ability to work.  Therapists can offer brief but excellent exercises that can facilitate increased circulation and flexibility.  This may be all that is needed to relieve the stress.
4. Slips and Falls: When the weather cools down, and the snow or rain starts to fall, it is important to be proactive in preventing slips and falls. Other common causes of slips and falls include uncovered cables, crowded areas, and change of walking traffic patterns. Even holiday decorations can cause someone to trip. Be aware of unusual obstacles especially at this time of year.

Workplace safety can be easy to maintain when Employers are utilizing the services of Therapists who have the right tools.  Together, you can create a safe environment designed to protect Employees. If you want to optimize the way your services can support workplace safety, the use of KEY Employee Assessments and Screens are invaluable tools. For more information about how to use this resource, talk to our team here at KEY Functional Assessments Network.