Safety experts note that many people turn to drugs, alcohol or medication to help deal with their stress outside of work, but the effects of substance abuse can spill over into the work day and create safety issues. Even when all safety precautions are followed, rushing through tasks can cause harm. When a worker is on a tight deadline, shortcuts become a distinct possibility and can lead to injury.

This can in turn lead you to forget safety protocols or make mistakes that lead to injury. A looming deadline, a confrontation with a manager, rumors of layoffs or any number of things can take your mind off what you are doing. When you are under stress, the source of your stress is often at the forefront of your mind. Here’s a breakdown of four ways that stress can affect employee safety. Many discussions about workplace stress are focused on productivity, but organizations should also pay attention to its impact on safety and health. Lack of communication and support from manager.In an article about employee burnout, Gallup identified five main causes: Stress in the workplace was on the rise even before the coronavirus outbreak, and the sources of workplace stress vary. There’s no denying that stress affects performance, and Americans in 2020 are experiencing high levels of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress and the Workplaceįirst, it’s important to acknowledge that stress can come from a variety of work-related and non-work-related sources. A growing body of evidence is showing in many workplaces, the greatest threat to employee safety isn’t necessarily the working conditions or tasks themselves the biggest threat may be stress. The majority of jobs – especially desk jobs – aren’t inherently dangerous, but some safety factors aren’t as obvious.

A line worker for a power company, for instance, needs to follow significant safety protocols to avoid injuries.

We may think of dangerous jobs as ones that require workers to climb ladders, use complicated tools or work in dangerous conditions – or all three. For many people, the idea of workplace safety is focused on hazards that can lead to serious injury.

Safety moments 2020