… Autumn is here!
Autumn is here, and it’s time for the temperatures to start dropping and the clocks to go back 1 hour, facilitating the nights getting dark earlier. This will mean the UK moves from (BST) British Summer Time to (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time. The reason for this is to give us more sunlight in the morning, which was introduced in 1916 to get the most out of daylight and save energy.
These days this might mean an extra hour in bed if you’re lucky, but it also means many people will now work and leave work in the dark. Risks of incidents are higher and it also makes some people feel uncomfortable. Can you relate to this?
Does night’s drawing in affect staff productivity and safety?
When it’s getting darker earlier, it can start to impact how people feel. It can make them change their daily routine and alter their mood. The lower light can impact staff both physically and mentally. Conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can cause fatigue, stress, anxiety, headaches, and eye strain. These can influence productivity and may be the basis of an increase in absences. In addition, a lack of interest, Irritability, and loss of energy despite sleeping for longer can create an urge not to come out of hibernation!
But not only that, staff who once finished work and skipped home whilst enjoying the warmth of the sunshine, will find from the end of October that they will be finishing up work and walking home in the DARK and COLD. Locking up in darkness, moving from one job location to another, or making a way home can suddenly feel more lonely, vulnerable, and scary.
What are the additional risks for staff in the winter months?
With the change of light this time of the year, you also must consider the change in weather conditions for your on-site and off-site workers, especially your lone workers. During winter months, there’s a rise in:
- unsafe driving conditions
- slips and falls
- frostbite / hypothermia
- structural stress (buildings, pavements, roads etc).
- power outages
10 tips for keeping staff healthy and safe when the nights are drawing in:
We’re sure that you always have your employees’ best interests at heart and will do everything you can to make them feel safer during the long winter months. You have a legal duty of care to keep them safe, after all. We hope that some of these tips will help
- Monitor for more severe weather and potential threats to your business premises and workers
- Give training to staff who are vulnerable and make suitable changes to factor in weather conditions and light
- In winter, low levels of vitamin D can impact the internal body clock, reduce the “Happy Hormone” and disrupt sleep. Educating staff on how to help alleviate the potential dip in vitamin D may help them with the symptoms above, especially helping with concentration, which is desirable in most jobs, and crucial for safety in others.
- Identifying low light hazards. Things can look very different in a different light. It is critical that your business has adequate lighting to cover workspaces, but also be very aware of dark stairways and corners
- Consider automatic solar lights for outside areas — cheap, easy to fit, and very effective.
- Provide as much natural light as possible during daylight hours.
- Consider using natural daylight bulbs that resemble natural daylight
- With many more homeworkers than ever before, conduct regular wellness checks, and make sure you reach out if you don’t hear back
- Have the ability to quickly notify and communicate with all staff about any last-minute changes due to the weather
- If you employ lone workers (“Lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision”) consider a lone-worker solution to meet your legal duty of care obligation and help keep your staff safer
Here at MyTeamSafe we can certainly help with the last three! If you would like to know more, then please do contact us.
How to ensure your own safety when it’s dark
The summer is sadly long gone, and you now find yourself still finishing your workday as the sun settles for the night, or you are walking home or just to the car in the cold and dark, and it’s not fun! There are some ways for you to ensure you stay as safe as possible.
- Avoid locking up and walking home alone. You’re more vulnerable at night
- Plan your route home and make sure people are aware of when you leave, your route and when you’re at your next location. Try to stay near busy areas
- Be always alert and avoid spending time on your mobile
- Hide expensive items
- Keep your hands free
- Trust your instincts
If you are concerned at all with your safety whilst at work, or moving from location to location outside daylight hours, ensure that you speak with your employer about the solutions available.
MyTeamSafe®, an award-winning lone-worker App & proud supporter of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust
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